San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (Saint Charles at the Four Fountains)
Also called San Carlino, by Francesco Borromini
Via del Quirinale
Rome, May 2012
“Or so it seems. Walk into San Carlino and you find yourself in an oval space above which soars a vast and elaborate dome. Surging from what looks like an oval coronet of stylized strawberry leaves, its surface is decorated all over by circles, ovals, hexagons and crosses in high relief. There is nothing here but geometric figures; but because they fit so intricately into one another, they are more sumptuous than the most lavish sculptures. Of course, after a while, it becomes clear that this impossible dome is in fact placed within the oval base of the layer-cake pavilion: but that does not rob it of its magic.” (Borromini's Rome, The New York Times)
Strange.
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