the
Church
The
construction of the church of S. Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci began
in 1694. It has a facade designed in 1727 under Pope Benedict XIII,
probably designed by Filippo Raguzzini, punctuated by pilasters,
divided into two tiers above the other, separated by a projecting
moulding and ending with a crowning mixti-linear. It is possible to see
the reference design with the facade of the Oratory of the Filippini
made by Borromini, but without reaching the tangible structural tension
of the Borromini building. The relief on the entrance door, made of
stucco - material widely used in the ‘700 - was the "liberation
of the slaves." The scroll, which contains the scene is wrapped in the
mantle and surmounted by the crown of the Virgin under the protection
of which is placed the church.
The diagram used is a Greek cross with four chapels included the intersection of the arms. This choice stems from the desire to rebuild the Roman architectural tradition, especially of the sixteenth century, and the particular location of the building, built over a hump in the ground and by the large size of it. The stance of the central plan, however, is inconsistent with both the external facade, which, with its top prospect, hiding the total volume of the church, and with the failure to build the interior of the dome, never implemented because of difficulties economic and architectural. In fact, the remarkable depth and arrangement of the chapels of the apse, connected, already suggest the idea of a division into aisles of space. The presence, finally, of the sacristy and of the bell tower, erect in the XX century, they accent the longitudinal feeling of the planimetric order. In the inside of the church, on the greatest altar, is guarded the image of the Virgo commissioned to the painter of Liegi Gilles Hallet (Egidio Alet 1620/1694). The painting depicts the Madonna with Blessing Child in her left hand gripping the globe. The conventionality of the subject, painting to devotional purpose, is compensated from the chromatic study and from the result representation of his/her/their child. Close to the façade of the church the convent, built between 1721 and 1725 to host the Apostolic College for the Missions. The portal, of clear borrominiano inspiration, is connected to the road level from a double ramp stairway similar to that built down the church.
The diagram used is a Greek cross with four chapels included the intersection of the arms. This choice stems from the desire to rebuild the Roman architectural tradition, especially of the sixteenth century, and the particular location of the building, built over a hump in the ground and by the large size of it. The stance of the central plan, however, is inconsistent with both the external facade, which, with its top prospect, hiding the total volume of the church, and with the failure to build the interior of the dome, never implemented because of difficulties economic and architectural. In fact, the remarkable depth and arrangement of the chapels of the apse, connected, already suggest the idea of a division into aisles of space. The presence, finally, of the sacristy and of the bell tower, erect in the XX century, they accent the longitudinal feeling of the planimetric order. In the inside of the church, on the greatest altar, is guarded the image of the Virgo commissioned to the painter of Liegi Gilles Hallet (Egidio Alet 1620/1694). The painting depicts the Madonna with Blessing Child in her left hand gripping the globe. The conventionality of the subject, painting to devotional purpose, is compensated from the chromatic study and from the result representation of his/her/their child. Close to the façade of the church the convent, built between 1721 and 1725 to host the Apostolic College for the Missions. The portal, of clear borrominiano inspiration, is connected to the road level from a double ramp stairway similar to that built down the church.
P.za S. Maria alle Fornaci,27 - 00165 Roma - cel. +39 3488268733 - tel. +39 0639367632 - fax +39 0639366795