Sant'Agnese in Agone Religious Site

Address: Sant’Agnese in Agone, Piazza Navona 2, 00186 Rome, Italy

Admission: Free entry (church)

Sant’Agnese in Agone is a 17th-century Baroque church facing Piazza Navona in Rome’s historic centre, associated with the Pamphilj family and Pope Innocent X. It is notable for its Baroque façade and interior treatments by leading architects of the period.

The building was begun in the mid-17th century under architects including Carlo Rainaldi, with later involvement by Francesco Borromini in the dome and internal arrangements. The church’s layout and decorative programmes reflect high Baroque design in a prominent urban piazza.

Construction took place in the mid-1600s under papal patronage and was part of a wider programme of embellishment of Piazza Navona commissioned by the Pamphilj family.

The church stands on the west side of Piazza Navona in central Rome, close to the Pantheon and other key sites of the historic centre.

• Patronage: Located on the west side of Piazza Navona, the church is linked to the Pamphilj family who commissioned its mid-17th-century construction during the papacy of Innocent X.

Sant’Agnese in Agone is in central Rome on Piazza Navona. It’s a short walk from other central sights (Piazza Navona/Pantheon area) and is easily reached on foot from many downtown points; from Roma Termini station expect about a 20-30 minute walk or a short taxi/urban bus ride.

• Visit early on a weekday morning to enjoy the interior before Piazza Navona fills with tourists - the church's baroque details are easier to appreciate when the square is quiet.
• Check the church's service schedule before you go; Sant'Agnese can be closed to visitors during Mass and religious events, so planning around service times avoids disappointment.
• Step beyond the nave into the side chapels and look up at the dome and stucco work - many people stay by the entrance and miss the richly decorated chapels and ceiling details.