Organ - Santa Maria della Vittoria - Roma, Italy
Posted by: 
denben
N 41° 54.277 E 012° 29.658
33T E 292167 N 4642222
Santa Maria della Vittoria (Saint Mary of Victory) is a 17th century Baroque Roman Catholic titular church located in the Rione Sallustiano at 17 Via XX Settembre in Rome, Italy.
Waymark Code: WM111EH
Location: Lazio, Italy
Date Posted: 07/29/2019
Views: 1
The church was built from 1608-1620, as a chapel dedicated to Saint Paul for the Discalced Carmelites. After the Catholic victory at the battle of White Mountain in 1620, which reversed the Reformation in Bohemia, the church was rededicated to the Virgin Mary. Turkish standards captured at the 1683 siege of Vienna hang in the church, adding to the theme of the Virgin helping to lead Catholic armies to victory.
The church is the only structure designed and completed by the early Baroque architect Carlo Maderno, though the interior suffered a fire in 1833 and required restoration. Its façade, however, was erected by Giovanni Battista Soria during Maderno's lifetime, 1624–1626, showing the unmistakable influence of Maderno's Santa Susanna nearby.
The interior has a single wide nave under a low segmental vault, with three interconnecting side chapels behind arches separated by colossal corinthian pilasters with gilded capitals that support an enriched entablature. Contrasting marble revetments are enriched with white and gilded stucco angels and putti in full relief. The interior was sequentially enriched after Maderno's death; its vault was frescoed in 1675 with triumphant themes within shaped compartments with feigned frames: The Virgin Mary Triumphing over Heresy and Fall of the Rebel Angels executed by Giovanni Domenico Cerrini.
On the counterfaçade (the interior wall above the entrance) is the organ and cantoria by Mattia de' Rossi, who worked with Bernini. A cantoria is a balcony for solo singers, and this one is shaped like a drum flanked by trapezoids. There are more angels holding it aloft, and rich scrollwork above and below the balustrade. Yet another pair of angels are seriously enjoying themselves either side of the organ, and above the latter you can just about see the stained glass window which occupies the centre of the second storey of the façade outside.
Opening hours: 8:30 to 12:00 and 15:30 to 18:00.
Sources: Wikipedia (
visit link) and (
visit link)