Santa Maria in Vallicella Religious Site

Address: Piazza della Chiesa Nuova, Rome

Santa Maria in Vallicella (Chiesa Nuova) is a principal Baroque church of the Oratory of St Philip Neri in central Rome, erected for the Oratorian congregation in the late 16th century. It is commonly known as the Chiesa Nuova and served as the mother church for the Oratorians.

The interior is richly decorated with 17th-century frescoes and altarpieces, including major work by Pietro da Cortona on the dome and vaults, making the church an important site for Baroque art in Rome. Visitors come to see the dome frescoes, chapels and the adjoining oratory complex.

The complex was constructed in the late 1500s for the Oratorians and completed and decorated across the early 17th century, reflecting the artistic program of the Counter-Reformation era.

The church stands in the Parione district of Rome, near Piazza della Chiesa Nuova and within easy walking distance of Campo de’ Fiori and Piazza Navona.

• Oratorian foundation: The church was built for the Oratorians in the late 16th century and contains significant Baroque decoration by Pietro da Cortona and his workshop.

What to See#

• Oratory and interior decoration: The Oratory adjacent to the church forms the religious complex founded by St Philip Neri; interior decoration includes major Baroque fresco cycles executed in the 17th century.

Located on Via del Banco di Santo Spirito near Campo dei Fiori in Rome. Walkable from the Pantheon and Piazza Navona; accessible by local buses.

• Find the side chapel with Caravaggio-influenced lighting - the chiaroscuro is subtle but rewarding.
• Listen for the organ during mass; the acoustics in the baroque nave are particularly resonant.
• The church is near Campo dei Fiori - combine visits for markets and evening aperitifs nearby.