Palazzo Barberini and Baroque Churches

      It was a very rainy day in Rome (Monday July 23rd). Which made us all really really excited because that also meant it was cooler. In fact when I woke up I was surprised by how humid it was then how cold it was and then finally heard the rain and freaked out for a minute. We met our professor at the Barberini metro stop, then walked to the Barberini Palace.

      The Barberini family sponsored some really amazing works of art. However they did this often by stealing what they needed to make it or melting down bronzes that would have decorated things like the Pantheon. There is a saying in Rome, "What the Barbarians didn't destroy, the Barberini did." I love this saying because it so aptly describes what happened.

They had a very large entryway.

I love ceilings like this.

Borromini's Staircase

Borromini was hired by Bernini to do the more complicated staircase in the Barberini Palace. (Enough B names?) Bernini isn't my favorite person from the Baroque period because he often took credit for things he didn't do and agreed to do things he knew he wouldn't have time to do, then unloaded it on his unsuspecting apprentices. This was just the case with Bernini and Borromini (although Borromini quickly stopped working with Bernini). However Borromini's architectural genius was able to make the awkward small area into a beautiful staircase.

Barberini Bees.. They're everywhere.

really really shallow stairs

Borromini actually curved the edges of the
columns so they wouldn't look as awkward.

See more bees.

And more.

Bernini's staircase.. Not that great.

His staircase actually gets kind of
awkward at the top.

Proof that it was raining.

The inside of the Palace.

And again.

and again.

Looking from the garden to the palace.

Gardens run wild from lack of care.

Facade of the Barberini Palace.

Motorcycles + Rain.

The four fountains!

Borromini's church at the four fountains.

One of the river gods.

Female river god.

The inside of one of Bernini's churches.

The Ecstasy of St. Theresa

This reminded me of the
apse of St. Peter's Basilica.

Every square inch must be decorated!! - Baroque.

Ecstasy of St. Theresa.

So much gold or bronze with gold leaf.

Borromini's San Carlo.

Borromini hated colors and paintings.

You can barely even tell that this is black and white.

Borromini's church at the Four Fountains (San Carlo) is really beautifully done, and very different from most Baroque churches. Most Baroque churches are decorated everywhere! They have something on every single inch of space. Borromini wanted the focus to be on his architecture which is amazing. He actually made this church for a group of monks who could barely afford to pay him anything.

Picture of the monks who he made the church for.

The courtyard is also a bit daring because
he made the balusters face different directions.

Borromini also got rid of the corners.

My tired classmates. Jk, I just took a picture when they
 happened to all be looking away or blinking.

Another of Bernini's churches.

St. Andrew? ascending to heaven.

Hidden light and bronze rays. Typical Bernini.

Horse Statue.

Statue of Castor and Pollux with Obelisk

This is the Quirinale Hill. It's really beautiful and is the home of the President's mansion, the supreme court and a museum. It also has a beautiful view of St. Peter's dome and a road that leads directly to the Trevi Fountain.

Proof that it was stormy.

President's Mansion.

Supreme Court.

What used to be the stables of the Quirinal Palace.

Look it's the dome!

Check out this hipster.

Ooooh the Trevi....

It actually is the oldest Baroque fountain in Rome.

And the column -> rock thing is cool.

So are the horses.

I like the horses.

The bus stop we waited at.

I like this street. It's useful.

Where we had lunch