Begun in
1572 by Jacopo Barozzi aka Vignola (1507/73) for
the Confraternity of the Palafrenieri (Grooms)
Finished in
1583 after his death by his son Giacinto Barozzi
(about 1535-40/after 1584)
It was the
first church in Rome to have an elliptical plan
It was the
church of the palafrenieri (grooms) or the papal sediari (carriers of
the papal chair), people that supported the gestatorial chair of the pope and
accompanied the pope's carriage
In 1929,
following the Conciliation between the Italian state and the church, S. Anna
became the parish church of the Vatican and Pius XI Ratti (1922/39) assigned it
to the Swiss Guards, designating for the palafrenieri the church of S. Caterina della Rota
FAÇADE
1700/31 Alessandro Specchi (1668/1729), who also added the
portal, the balustrade and the bell towers
DOME
1763 by Giovanni Domenico Navone
(active since 1706/d. 1770)
Above the
doors stucco panels 1746 by G.B. De Rossi
NEAR THE
ENTRANCE
“Plaque in
memory of the Marquis Del Grillo Onofrio (1714/87)”
He was an
eccentric character famous for his practical jokes, a member of the
palafrenieri and immortalized in the great 1981 film Il Marchese del Grillo
directed by Mario Monicelli with the comedian Alberto Sordi. His tomb is in the
church of S. Giovanni dei Fiorentini
ON THE
WALLS
Four
frescoes “Scenes from the life of St. Anna” by Ignazio
Stern (1679/1748)
MAIN ALTAR
“S. Anna
and the Virgin Mary girl” 1927 copy by Arturo Viligiardi
(1869/1936) from an original by Alessandro Franchi
Outside to
the left of the church there is the unknown but extraordinary FOUNTAIN OF THE BEES by Francesco
Borromini (1599/1667) who had also prepared a project for the façade of
the church
To the
right of the church S. ANNA's GATE 1931 by Giuseppe
Momo (1875/1940)
It is the church
of the SWISS GUARDS in Vatican territory
The Swiss
Guards are currently 110 and are at the service of the pope since 1506
During the
sack of Rome in 1527 they saved the life of Clement VII Medici (1523/34): 147
died and only 42 survived, escaping with the pope in Castel Sant'Angelo
To be
admitted to the corps one must be male, have Swiss citizenship, be of Catholic
faith, have served in the Swiss army obtaining a certificate of good conduct,
be between 18 and 30 years of age, have minimum height of 174 cm (5.7 feet),
being unmarried (marriage is only permitted for corporals and higher ranks),
have a certificate of professional capacity or high school diploma and be ready
for a minimum service of 25 months
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