Chiesa di San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane – Rome, Italy - Atlas Obscura

Chiesa di San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

 

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The Roman Catholic church San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane was the first independent commission of architect Francesco Borromini, and is considered to be a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. Commissioned in 1634, the church was finished in 1641 and dedicated in 1646 to Saint Charles Borromeo; the name Quattro Fontane references the four fountains at the intersection of nearby Strada Pia and Strada Felice. Built on a small and challenging lot, the crowning glory of the church is it’s oval coffered dome and lantern, with the dome’s complex and geometric coffering a pleasantly minimalist contrast to more generally painted and gilded baroque domes.