Itinerary from the Quirinale Palace to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli

This itinerary leads to the Quirinale Palace, the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic. The first point of interest on the route is in Piazza San Bernardo: the Fountain of Moses, a monumental fountain built at the end of the 16th century, which houses a colossal statue of Moses in its main niche.

From Piazza San Bernardo, along the straight road leading to Piazza del Quirinale, you come across three churches that represent the pinnacle of Roman Baroque and bear witness to an extraordinary artistic challenge between the two rival geniuses of the era: Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini.

The first stop is the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, whose world-famous work is linked to the Cornaro Chapel. Here, Bernini's genius created a sublime work that blends sculpture, architecture, and painting: the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, in which the saint is depicted in the form of a cross. captured in the moment of her mystical rapture, transfixed by divine love.

Continuing, we come across the Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (known as San Carlino), a true miracle of Borromini's ingenuity for his masterful management of limited space. Not far away is the Church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, a jewel by Bernini that the artist himself considered his most accomplished work.

The last stop is the Quirinale Palace. Built in the 16th century as a papal summer residence, it became the residence of the kings of Italy after the unification (1870) and subsequently of the President of the Republic from 1946. The palace houses a unique artistic, historical, and cultural heritage.