1681 – Santa Maria Di Montesanto & Santa Maria Dei Miracoli, Rome, Italy

Architect: Carlo Rainaldi, Gian Lorenzo Bernini

santa_maria_churches_lge

The two, almost twin, churches of S. Maria di Montesanto (left) and S. Maria dei Miracoli (right) on Piazza del Popolo were designed by Carlo Rainaldi. Gian Lorenzo Bernini gave advice on how to emphasize the similarity between the two churches. S. Maria di Montesanto was erected first (1678) and S. Maria dei Miracoli a few years later (1681). The columns come from the bell tower erected by Bernini for St Peter’s, a project abandoned in 1646.