Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria

Interesting facts

1. 1

   The church was originally dedicated to Saint Paul, but was renamed to celebrate the Catholic victory at the 1620 Battle of White Mountain in Bohemia.

2. 2

   The 'Ecstasy of Saint Teresa' is situated in the Cornaro Chapel, which Bernini designed as a total work of art, including the 'audience' figures on the side walls.

3. 3

   The church was featured prominently as a key setting in Dan Brown's novel 'Angels & Demons'.

4. 4

   Cardinal Federico Cornaro, who commissioned the chapel, insisted on having his family members sculpted into the side walls as if they were watching the miracle in theater boxes.

5. 5

   The marble used in the interior is notably polychromatic, featuring deep reds and yellows that were specifically selected to heighten the sense of drama.

6. 6

   A portion of the facade is derived from the design of Saint Peter's Basilica, as Carlo Maderno also served as an architect for that project.

7. 7

   The 'Ecstasy of Saint Teresa' is widely considered one of the most significant examples of Baroque sculpture, depicting the saint's vision of an angel piercing her heart with a golden arrow.

Overview

Santa Maria della Vittoria is a 17th-century Baroque church located in Rome, renowned for housing Gian Lorenzo Bernini's 'Ecstasy of Saint Teresa'. The church was commissioned by the Discalced Carmelites and consecrated in 1620 to honor a victory at the Battle of White Mountain. Its interior features a lavish combination of stucco, marble, and gilding, characteristic of the Roman High Baroque. The Cornaro Chapel, designed by Bernini, utilizes concealed windows and bronze rays to create dramatic lighting effects on the main sculptural group. The church exterior was designed by Carlo Maderno, while the interior decorative program was largely completed after the church's initial construction. The nave is covered by a barrel vault decorated with the fresco 'The Virgin Mary Triumphing over Heresy'. It remains an active Catholic place of worship with daily mass services. The building stands on the Via Venti Settembre near the intersection with Largo Santa Susanna.

Insider tips

• Bring small denomination coins to operate the light boxes that illuminate the Cornaro Chapel.

• Visit during the early afternoon to catch the natural light hitting the hidden window above the statue of Saint Teresa.

• Walk the entire length of the nave to observe how the perspective shifts the appearance of the ceiling frescoes.