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Home > Italy Travel Guide > Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi

Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Introduction
History
Location

ATTRACTIONS

What's to see

USEFUL INFORMATION

Useful information
Links

Introduction

San Luigi dei Francesi (Saint Louis of the French) is dedicated to St Louis (Louis IX of France), and has been the French national church in Rome since 1589. A stone salamander (the symbol of the Renaissance French monarch Francois I) is subtly carved into its facade. The famous painter Caravaggio (1573-1610) was commissioned to paint for this church, where in one of its chapels is his realistic naturalism in three scenes of the life of St. Matthew.

History

It was begun by Cardinal Giulio de'Medici, later Pope Clement VIII, but work was then suspended and not resumed until 1580 (under the direction of Domenico Fontana). The church was dedicated in 1589. It is the national French church of Rome and actually entitled to the Virgin Mary, to St. Dionigis Areopagitas and St. Louis IX, king of France. The church was chosen as the place of sepulture for the higher prelates and members of the French community of Rome: these include the tomb of Pauline de Beaumont, died by consumption in Rome in 1805, erected by her lover Chateaubriand, the classic liberal economist Frederic Bastiat and that of Cardinal de Bernis, ambassador in Rome for Louis XV and Louis XVI.

Domenichino painted here one of his masterworks, the frescoes portraying the Histories of Saint Cecilia. Other artists who worked in the decoration of San Luigi dei Francesi include Cavalier D'Arpino, Francesco Bassano il Giovanni, Muziano, Giovanni Baglione, Siciolante da Sermoneta, Jacopino del Conte, Tibaldi and Antoine Derizet.

The church, together with the other French churches in Rome, is governed by an “Administrative deputy” named by the French ambassador at the Holy See. The Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Ludovici Francorum de Urbe is Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger.

Location

The church is easy to find, just off the Piazza Navona right in the heart of the city.
Address: Via Santa Giovanna d'Arco 5, I-00186, Rome, Italy.
Transit: Bus: 26, 70, 81, 87, 88, 90, 94.

What's to see

The Renaissance facade was probably the work of Giacomo della Porta (c. 1540-1602). The French character is evident since the facade itself, which has several statues recalling national history: these include Charlemagne, St. Louis, St. Clothilde and St. Jeanne of Valois. The interior also has frescoes telling the stories of St. Louis (by Charles-Joseph Natoire), St. Dennis and Clovis.

The church itself, is a three-aisled pillared basilica, the most famous item is the cycle of paintings in the Contarelli Chapel. The three major pictures (scenes from the life of St Matthew) by Caravaggio (c. 1597), the celebrated Calling of St. Matthew on the left, St. Matthew and the Angel in the center, and the Martyrdom of St. Matthew on the right. The “divine” Caravaggio's best painting is the Calling of St. Matthew. These are masterpieces of realistic painting, with Caravaggio's new composition of light and shade and striking chiaroscuro effects, but they were not universally admired at the time. A self-portrait of the artist can be seen to the left of the executioner in the martyrdom scene.

Adiacent to the church is the late-Baroque San Luigi dei Francesi Palace. It was built in 1709-1716 as a “recovery for the French religious community and the pilgrims without resources”. Its porch has a bust of Christ whose face is traditionally identified as Cesare Borgia's one. The interior houses a gallery with the portraits of the French kings and a notable Music Hall.

Useful information

Telephone:39 6 688271
Open: Fri-Wed 8am-12:30pm and 3:30-7pm; Thurs 8am-12:30pm.

Links

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