Sant'Andrea al Quirinale historical timeline

Last updated on October 4, 2026

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A seminary chapel on a hill, built by the most famous sculptor in Europe, who then liked it better than anything else he made.

Chronology

Before 1658 — an earlier building stands on the site, and the Jesuits establish their novitiate on the Quirinal. Structural impact: the plot is narrow and faces a street on the hill's spine, which rules out a long nave. What you see today: the reason the church is wide rather than deep.
1658 — Bernini receives the commission from Cardinal Camillo Pamphilj, approved by Pope Alexander VII. Structural impact: the design is settled as an oval entered on its short axis. What you see today: an altar facing you the moment you step inside.
1661 — the church is built. Structural impact: the oval cylinder, the dome and the volutes that carry its thrust are in place. What you see today: essentially the shell as Bernini set it.
1668 — Guillaume Courtois paints the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew for the high altar. Structural impact: none. What you see today: the dark canvas that the stucco figure above appears to be escaping.
1670 — the interior decoration is finished, twelve years after the commission. Structural impact: the gilding, the coffering and Antonio Raggi's stucco are complete. What you see today: the gold dome and the figures climbing it.
1716 — the shrine of Stanislaus Kostka receives its urn of bronze and lapis lazuli. Structural impact: none. What you see today: the chapel of the Jesuit novice who died in this house.

Verified against Turismo Roma, October 2026.

Sources & verification Covers the sourced claims on this page.

Checked against Turismo Roma — Turismo Roma records that Sant'Andrea al Quirinale was built from 1658 at the commission of Pope Alexander VII Chigi and Cardinal Camillo Pamphilj on the site of a pre-existing building, and was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who considered it his best work for the perfect balance of architecture, sculpture and painting (October 2026).
Checked against Wikipedia — Bernini received the commission for Sant'Andrea al Quirinale in 1658 and the church was constructed by 1661, although the interior decoration was not finished until 1670, Sant'Andrea al Quirinale was commissioned by former Cardinal Camillo Francesco Maria Pamphili with the approval of Pope Alexander VII, Over the high altar of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale is an oil painting of the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew of 1668 by the French painter Guillaume Courtois, showing Andrew crucified on a diagonal cross, Saint Andrew is represented at Sant'Andrea al Quirinale by a white stucco sculpture carved by Antonio Raggi, shown ascending on clouds toward the golden dome, A chapel of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale houses the shrine of Saint Stanislaus Kostka, an urn of bronze and lapis lazuli made in 1716 (October 2026).