Santissima Trinità di Monti

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Church of Santissima Trinita dei Monti, Rome
Santissima Trinita dei Monti
The church of Santissima Trinità dei Monti (Most Holy Trinity of the Hills), often simply called Trinità dei Monti, was built for the Order of Minims and consecrated in 1585. Trinità dei Monti is the French national church in Rome. 

The facade with its twin bell-towers is thought to be the work of Giacomo della Porta (1532-1602). The inscription reads: S · TRINITATI · REGVM · GALLIAE · MVNIFENTIA · ET · PIOR · ELEMOSYNIS · ADIVTA · MINORVM · SODALITAS · STRVXIT · AC · DD · ANNO · MDLXX (Assisted by the generosity of the kings of France and the alms of the godly, the Order of the Friars Minim built this and gave it as a gift to the Holy Trinity in the year of the Lord 1570). 

The double staircase was originally built by Domenico Fontana (1543-1607). It was later rebuilt during the reign of Pope Clement XI (r. 1700-21) and bears the pope's heraldic arms, namely three mounts crowned with a star. The retaining wall sports a plaque that reads: LUDOVICVS XVIII EXOPTATVS GALL REX / TEMPLVM SS TRINITATIS IN PINCIO / RESTITVIT / CVRAM AGENTE COMITE BLACAS DE ALPIBVS / REGIS LEGATO / AD / PIVM VII PONTIFICEM MAXIMVM / ANN SAL MDCCCXVI (Louis XVIII, King of France, restored the Church of Santa Trinita on the Pincio through the agency of Comte de Blacas d'Aulps, the king's envoy to Pius VII, Pontifex Maximus, in the year of Salvation, 1816). 

The church is home to some good paintings by Daniele Ricciarelli (c. 1509-66), bettter known as Daniele da Volterra, a close friend and follower of Michelangelo, including what many deem to be his masterpiece: The Descent from the Cross (1546). The painting can be found in the second chapel on the left. 

Volterra and his studio also provided the frescoes for the Cappella Lucrezia della Rovere, which is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The decoration of the chapel, third on the right, was commissioned by Lucrezia della Rovere, the niece of Pope Julius II, in 1548. The bearded figure on the far right is thought to be a portrait of Michelangelo. Volterra also executed the Presentation of Our Lady on the right wall, but the Massacre of the Innocents on the left wall is by one of his pupils, Michele Alberti. The vault is decorated with scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. 

In the Cappella Borghese, first chapel on the left, is a large sculpture of the Deposition, a plaster copy of a work in marble by the German sculptor Wilhelm Achtermann (1799-1884). The original sculpture once stood in Munster Cathedral, but was destroyed during the second world war. Achtermann, who lived in Rome from 1839 until his death in 1884, gave the plaster copy as a gift to the church, circa 1860. 

The high altar was designed by Jean Regnaud (known in Italy as Giovanni Rinaldi) and executed in 1679. It is crowned with the symbol of the Trinity in glory, venerated by two stucco angels. The stucco work is by Pietro Sassi and Giuseppe Ruggieri. The large tabernacle, at the base of the altar, was designed in the form of a round temple by Charles Errard (1606-89). The high altar is unusual in that it has no altarpiece. 
Nave, Church of Santissima Trinita dei Monti, Rome
Nave
High altar, Church of Santissima Trinita dei Monti, Rome
High altar
The Descent from the Cross by Daniele da Volterra, Trinità dei Monti, Rome
The Descent from the Cross by Daniele da Volterra
Gallery