Santissima Trinità a Via Condotti or Santissima Trinità degli Spagnoli is a church in Rome at the start of via Condotti in the Campo Marzio district. It is one of the

national churches National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

of Spain in Rome.

History

The church and its adjoining convent were built by the Spanish Trinitarians between 1741 and 1746 under pope Benedict XIV. They were designed by the Portuguese architect Emanuele Rodriguez dos Santos, assisted by

Giuseppe Sardi Giuseppe Sardi (1680 – documented until 1768) was an Italian architect active in Rome. He was born at Sant'Angelo in Vado, Marche which was then part of the Papal States. Known primarily for his church of Santa Maria del Rosario in Marino o ...

. It was on the site of the former palazzo Ruccellai, bought in 1733 for 25474 Roman scudi by Father Lorenzo of the Trinitarian Order, in the name of the provinces of Castiglia, Leone and Navarre. Shortly afterwards the foundation was placed under the protection of the Spanish crown. The church has a concave facade with statues of the order's two founders saint John of Matha and saint Felix of Valois and the coat of arms of Philip V of Spain.

Interior

Its interior has a vestibule and then an elliptical plan with seven inter-communicating chapels (four to the right and three to the left), housing the original paintings placed in them in the 18th century. The high altarpiece of 'The Most Holy Trinity and the freeing of a slave' is by Corrado Giaquinto. Above it are two smaller works by

Antonio González Velázquez Antonio González Velázquez (1723–1793) was a Spanish late-Baroque painter. Biography Velázquez was born in Madrid into a family of artists; his father Pablo González Velázquez and brothers Alejandro and Luis were all painters. He received ...

showing 'Abraham and the three angels' and 'Abraham and Sarah'. The main ceiling painting shows Saint John of Matha in glory ( Gregorio Guglielmi) and those in the side chapels are by

Andrea Casali Andrea Casali (17 November 1705 – 7 September 1784) was an Italian painter of the Rococo period. He was also an art dealer in England. ''Angelica e Medoro'', Bemberg Fondation Toulouse He was born in Civitavecchia in the Papal States and stu ...

. The community had shrunk by 1880, when its superiors decided to turn the convent into a Dominican college for missionaries to the Far East.

Bibliography

* M. Armellini,
''Le chiese di Roma dal secolo IV al XIX'', Roma 1891
p. 337 * C. Rendina, ''Le Chiese di Roma'', Newton & Compton Editori, Milano 2000, p. 362 * M. Quercioli, ''Rione IV Campo Marzio'', in AA.VV, ''I rioni di Roma'', Newton & Compton Editori, Milano 2000, Vol. I, pp. 264–334 {{DEFAULTSORT:Santissima Trinita a Via Condotti National churches in Rome Baroque architecture in Rome Trinitarian Order Dominican churches Trinita