San Giovanni dei Fiorentini

San Giovanni dei Fiorentini Review

Imbued with the supreme grace of the Florentine Renaissance, this often overlooked church dedicated to Florence's patron saint, John the Baptist, stands in what was the heart of the Florentine colony in Old Rome. Many of these Florentines were goldsmiths, bankers, and money changers who contributed to the building of the church. Talented goldsmith and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini of Florence, known for his vindictive nature as much as for his genius, lived nearby. While the church was designed by Sansovino, Raphael (yes, he was also an architect) was among those who competed for this commission. Today, the church interior makes you feel you have wandered inside a perfect Renaissance space, one so harmonious it seems to be a Raphael pop-up 3-D painting. Borromini executed a splendid altar for the Falconieri family chapel in the choir. He's buried under the dome, despite the fact that those who committed suicide normally were refused a Christian burial. The late animal-loving pastor allowed well-behaved pets to keep their owners company at services, a tradition that lives on with his successor.