About The Collegiata Parrocchiale Pontificia (Collegiate Church of St. Thomas of Villanova) in Castel Gandolfo, Italy:
Completed in 1658, the Church of Saint Thomas of Villanova was commissioned by Pope Alexander VII to pay tribute to Saint Thomas of Villanova who canonized in 1658. Being designed by Bernini (December 7, 1598 – November 28, 1680), it is another of his many masterpieces. His style is evident in the dominant dome in the interior, with the architectural lines denoting Bernini’s signature style as well.
The façade is developed vertically and structured on two levels: the portal is in the lower part while in the upper part you see a large window and a tympanum bearing the Chigi family’s crest (Pope Alexander VII was christened Fabio Chigi, a prominent family in Italy).
Inside the church are paintings by Borgognone and works by Pietro da Cortona: an altarpiece in the main altar illustrating La Crocifissione con Maria (The Crucifixion with Mary); La Maddalena and San Giovanni (Magdalena and St. John).
In addition there are the stucco works by Antonio Raggi. A student of Bernini, it was Bernini who supplied Raggi with detailed models and supervised his work closely. Raggi completed the stucco decoration of San Tomaso di Villanova in Castel Gandolfo (1660–1) as well as the stucco decoration of Bernini’s Sant’Andrea, the statues of Saint Bernardino and Pope Alexander VII for Duomo di Siena and the Virgin and Child in Saint Joseph des Carmes in Paris.
Traveling to The Collegiata Parrocchiale Pontificia (Collegiate Church of St. Thomas of Villanova) in Castel Gandolfo, Italy:
The church is prominently located in the main square of Castel Gandolfo,
Address: Piazza della Libertà, 14, 00073 Castel Gandolfo RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 936 1915
Click here for the official website of Collegiata Parrocchiale Pontificia in Castel Gandolfo, Italy (not a secure website)