A visit to Rome is always too short. The city is home to many famous landmarks such as the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Circus Maximus and many others. No visit to Rome is complete without a trip to the Vatican, with it's stunning breadth and depth of treasures and art. The most under-rated building in Rome, however, is probably "Il Gesu", the Church of the Gesu. Entry is free, there are seldom any queues, and it is a visual delight.
Il Gesu History
Church of the Gesu is close to the centre of Rome, in the Piazza del Gesu. It may be located using GPS at 41º 53' 45" North, 12º 28' 47" East. The idea for it came from the founder of the "Jesuits" (the "Society of Jesus"), in 1551, although the first ground was not broken until seventeen years later, in 1568. It took another 12 years to complete, in 1580. Il Gesu remained the home of the head of the Jesuits until 1773.
Hotels and Accommodation in Rome Close To Il Gesu
Il Gesu is located at 16, Via degli Astalli, 00186 Rome. There are hotels in the roads immediately around it (within a few hundred yards / metres) at:
- Corso Vittorio Emmanuelle II
- Via d'Aracoelli
- Via del Plebescito
As well as hotels, there is a wide range of Bed and Breakfast accommodation. Hotel ratings should be researched carefully, as the 4-star and 5-star ratings given to some may be a little generous.
Il Gesu Facade
The facade of the Il Gesu has been described as the "first truly baroque facade". It is characterised by complex shapes, strong contrasts of both depth and shape, and extravagant ornamentation. The Italian word barocco means "bizarre", although Il Gesu is not at all bizarre. It bears some resemblance to the Palace of Versaille.
Il Gesu Interior
Frescos are found throughout Roman churches, but the examples at Il Gesu are equal to, or better than, those found at the Cistine Chapel in the Vatican. A large mirror is mounted in the nave of the church, inclined at an angle of 45 degrees. This allows the visitor to view the ceiling artwork without having to look upwards for extended periods. This is very welcome and useful for tourists; appreciation of the ceiling art takes quite some time.
The ceiling fresco is the most notable artwork of the interior. The Triumph of the name of Jesus, by Giovanni Battista Gaulli, is striking. It is large, but the detail can be studied at length using the inclined mirror mentioned earlier.
There are three separate chapels to the right of the nave: Capella di Sant’Andrea, Capella della Passione, and Capella degli Angeli. All of these are lavishly adorned with frescos and / or paintings. A fourth chapel “Saint Francis Xavier” lies in the right transept. The last chapel on the right is the Sacro Cuore (Sacred Heart) chapel.
To the left of the nave lie the chapels San Francesco Borgia, Sacra Famiglia (Holy Family), Santissima Trinita (Trinity of Saints). As with the chapels on the right, these are all highly decorated with frescos and artwork. The fourth chapel on the left, and the most impressive of all of the chapels at Il Gesu, is the St. Ignatius chapel. Designed by Andrea Pozzo, the chapel houses the remains of St. Ignatius. The fifth, and last chapel on the left of the nave is the Chapel of the Madonna della Strada.
Il Gesu Summary
Located close to the center of Rome, and convenient to many of the hotels in the surrounding roads, Il Gesu is a fabulous building in many respects - historically, externally, and internally. Although Rome has many churches with impressive architecture and frescos, Il Gesu is well worth visiting, as it ranks with the best, including the Cistine Chapel in the Vatican.
Il Gesu References
The Wikipedia article on Il Gesu,and the author has visited Il Gesu personally.
Martin Bell - Martin holds a B.Sc. degree in chemical engineering, and an M.Sc. degree in electronics and computing. He has spent more than 25 years ...
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