Trinita dei Monti Rome, Photos, Roman Church Building, Design, Location, Image

Trinita dei Monti Roma

Roman church building photographs, Italy, southern Europe

post updated 7 March 2022

Location: north of city centre

Trinita dei Monti Roma Architettura

Church at top of Spanish Steps

In 1502, Louis XII of France began construction of the church of the Trinità dei Monti next to this monastery, to celebrate his successful invasion of Naples. Building work began in a French style with pointed late Gothic arches, but construction lagged.

The present Italian Renaissance church was eventually built in its place and finally consecrated in 1585 by the great urbanizer Pope Sixtus V, whose via Sistina connected the Piazza della Trinità dei Monti (outside the church) to the Piazza Barberini across the city. The architect of the facade is not known for certain, but Wolfgang Lotz suggests that it may have originated in a design by Giacomo della Porta (a follower of Michelangelo), who had built the church of Sant’Atanasio dei Greci, which has similarities, a little earlier. The double staircase in front of the church was by Domenico Fontana.

Scalla della Trinita dei Monti – Spanish Steps

photograph © Adrian Welch