In 1568, Giacomo da Vignola constructed Gesu as the Jesuit order's mother church in Rome. The front, designed by Giacomo della Porta, was built in 1575. The Triumph of the Name of Jesus, ceiling painting by Giovanni Battista Gaulli (Baciccio) at the Gesu, Rome, 1678–79. This is one of his most famous works.
Giacomo della Porta was an Italian architect who worked in Rome during the early years of the Baroque era. He was a major contributor to the development of Roman Baroque style. His work includes the façade of the Gesù Church (1575).
The design of Il Gesù was meant to be a statement of power and wealth with large dimensions compared to other churches in Rome at that time. It used heavy block walls with huge windows for illumination instead of the usual Roman Catholic churches which used small windows and a flat roof for light and ventilation. The Jesuits were a powerful religious order in Italy at the time and they wanted everyone to know they were here to stay. The building also has many unusual features such as four-story towers instead of domes, large paintings, and sculptures all done in a very dramatic and colorful style.
Gesù was not only beautiful inside and out but it was also richly decorated as well.
The Sagrada Familia would be built in the Neo-Gothic style that was prominent in Europe at the time, but Gaudi intended this creation to be utterly unique—inspired by both nature and God. While Gaudi worked on the remainder of the building, services were held in the crypt. The final product is one of the most famous churches in Europe.
The Sagrada Familia is a church in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its distinctive shape and decorative features, including its towering steeple and colorful tiles. Construction on the church began in 1882 and it was completed over 130 years later in 2002. The Sagrada Familia is now part of the Catholic Church's Barcelona Cathedral-Basilica complex.
Before the construction of The Sagrada Familia, Catholics in Barcelona had no place where they could go to pray. The city was too small to support its own cathedral, so every bishop since the 14th century has made do with what resources have been available. Until the mid-19th century, priests did not wear any particular uniform and preached from handwritten texts, which often weren't even written in Spanish but rather in Latin or French.
During this time, many people became dissatisfied with the traditional church practices and wanted something more expressive of worshiping God. In 1878, a German priest named Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) was appointed head of religion in Barcelona.
Between 422 and 432, Peter of Illyria, a Dalmatian priest, erected Santa Sabina near the Juno temple on Rome's Aventine Hill. The church was erected on the site of early Imperial buildings, one of which is claimed to have belonged to Sabina, a Roman matron from Avezzano in the Italian province of Abruzzo. She was married to Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, who ruled as king of Rome from 534 to 496 B.C.
Santa Sabina became one of the most important churches of Rome. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but also served as an extension of Peter's palace, where he lived with his family after being made a bishop. The basilica was 68 feet long and 50 feet wide with a height of 40 feet. It was decorated with paintings by Giunta di Pietro, Masolino and others.
The original building was destroyed by arson in A.D. 451 during the great fire of Rome. Rebuilding began immediately under Bishop Gaudentius and was completed in just five months at a cost of 12,000 pounds sterling (about $1 million today). The new basilica was larger than the old one and was consecrated on March 17, 452 by Pope Julius Eucherius.
In addition to its size, the new Santa Sabina had many other improvements over its predecessor. It no longer depended entirely on donations for its maintenance; the congregation paid taxes to cover the cost of running the church.
The Basilica of Bom Jesus began construction in 1594. The first stone was laid by King John III who wanted to build a church in honor of his father, Saint Charles Borromeo. The king died before it was completed and his body is buried in the basilica.
There are several stones used for the foundation of the basilica. One of them has the date "1593" on it which is the year the first stone was laid. There are also four large stones that are said to have been brought from Greece by four different people. The last stone was brought from Greece by Bishop Duarte Costa who was sent there to obtain more information about the holy sites.
The name was given by Portuguese explorers who reached what is now Brazil in 1500. They saw an image of Jesus painted on a tree trunk and took it as a sign that this land was under His protection.
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