Santa Maria dei Miracoli - Roma, Italy
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denben
N 41° 54.596 E 012° 28.586
33T E 290702 N 4642856
Santa Maria dei Miracoli is one of the twin 17th century churches on the Piazza del Popolo in Rome, the other being Santa Maria in Montesanto.
Waymark Code: WM10VZD
Location: Lazio, Italy
Date Posted: 06/29/2019
Views: 5
Santa Maria dei Miracoli was begun in 1675 and finished in 1678 in a Baroque style. With a circular plan, it has an elegant 18th-century bell tower by Girolamo Theodoli and an octagonal cupola. The interior has a rich stucco decoration by Antonio Raggi, Bernini's pupil. The monuments for Cardinals Benedetto and Gastaldi were designed by Carlo Fontana, who also provided design for the cupola and the lamp. The busts in bronze were completed by Girolamo Lucenti.
The bell tower is a good example of the Baroque style. The design is Borrominiesque. On a square plinth stands a kiosk with three Corinthian columns at each corner, hugging a central blind pillar. The rectangular openings of the kiosk have balustrades. The pillars support an entablature with a projecting post at each corner, and these posts have very unusual finials which are spheres sprouting flames. The basically pyramidal Baroque spire is in lead, and is embellished with an archivolt on each face and an outline curlicue at each corner above these. Fronds cluster around the tip, which has a ball finial.
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