The religious order
of the Trinitari was founded in Paris by Giovanni di
Matha and Felice di Valois at the end of the 12th
century. The main purpose of the institution was the
redemption of slaves to which help for the poor was then
added. The first activity was connected to the
re-conquest of the Holy Land, after the fall of
Jerusalem into the hands of the ferocious Saladin
(1187). It was, in fact, during the course of the
battles that many Christians were captured and enslaved
by Moslems. The order received the approval of Pope
Innocent colleague and close friend of Giovanni di Matha
at the university of Paris - in Roma in 1198.
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The church stands on the site of
the small chapel '. dedicated to the Trinity and to St.
Carlo Borromao. It was built in 1611 by the Spanish barefoot
Trinitari fathers. On the altar of the chapel, there was an
altarpiece by Orazio Borgianni, friend of Caravaggio, it is
now in the sacristy. With the passing of time, the
importance of the order grew so much that, in very few year,
the fathers acquired surrounding land for the purposes of
enlarging the holy building. The project was given to
Borromini who built the convent in two years (1634 - 6),
which was later enlarged during the course of the 18th
century. The works for the church began some years later and
it was consecrated only in 1646, despite the lack of a
facade.
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The facade was begun in 1664, but
three years later, when the architect died, it still hadn't
been completed. The church, called S. Carlino because of its
small size, is thus the first and also last work ofthe
architect fromTicino, who didn't want to be paid. The fa<;:ade
in travertine, is distinguished by the wavy surface and is
enriched by columns, the balcony, the great oval bowl held
up by angels, and the statues of Borromao and the two
founders oftheTrinitari.The Interior has a particular form
resulting from the insertion of an octagon into an oval.The
dome is oval with caissons of various shapes, octagonal,
hexagonal and cross-shaped. In the centre is the symbol of
the Trinity, the emblem ofthe order.The small cloister is
gained from the convent, it is parallel to the main axis
ofthe church -of squashed oval shape and with two orders of
galleries. |
