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In 1626, a Spanish priesi, Juan Baptiste Vives, gave the ex-Ferralini palace io the Congregation. li is situated on the south side of Piazza di Spagna.The following year, cardiná Antonio Barberini senior, seI up the Alunnato here, for the young of six nations <caĺed Urban College in honour of the reigning pope). An early work on the building, in 1634, is down io Gianlorenzo Bernini, who planned an internai chapei, dedicated to the Three Kings, and having an independeni entrance from the street.
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Later, the congregalion decided io acquire the whole block (1644) and the fa~ade in the square was
buili. In 1646, Francesco Borromini was commissioned io plan the new wing in Via della
Mercede. Ai firsi, the architeci thought of adapting the existing chapel lo the interior of the new buíding, bui later (1650>, he decided io rebuild, making it bigger, causing contrasts with Bernini.The reciangular plan of the room was lightened lhanks io the many sources of lighi and the great dynamism suggested by the design, wilh interlaced arched in the vauli and large windows in the walls.
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