Editing Francesco Borromini (section)

=== Sant'Agnese in Agone ===
{{main|Sant'Agnese in Agone}}

Borromini was one of several architects involved in the building of the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone in Rome. Not only were some of his design intentions changed by succeeding architects, but the net result is a building that reflects, rather unhappily, a mix of different approaches.

The decision to rebuild the church was taken in 1652 as part of Pope [[Innocent X]]'s project to enhance the [[Piazza Navona]], the urban space onto which his family palace, the [[Palazzo Pamphili]], faced. The first plans for a Greek Cross church were drawn up by [[Girolamo Rainaldi]] and his son [[Carlo Rainaldi]], who relocated the main entrance from the Via di [[Santa Maria dell'Anima]] to the Piazza Navona. The foundations were laid and much of the lower level walls had been constructed when the Rainaldis were dismissed due to criticisms of the design and Borromini was appointed in their stead.<ref>Blunt A. ''Borromini'', Belknap Press of Harvard University, 1979, 157</ref>

Borromini began a much more innovative approach to the façade that was expanded to include parts of the adjacent Palazzo Pamphili family palace and to gain space for two bell towers he introduced. Each of the constructed bell towers has a clock, one for Roman time, the other for ''tempo ultramontano'' or European time. Construction of the façade proceeded up to the cornice level and the dome was completed as far as the lantern. On the interior, he placed columns against the piers of the lower order that was mainly completed.

In 1655, Innocent X died and the project lost momentum. In 1657, Borromini resigned and Carlo Rainaldi was recalled and he made a number of significant changes to Borromini's design. Further alterations were made by Bernini including the façade pediment. In 1668, Carlo Rainaldi returned as architect and [[Ciro Ferri]] received the commission to fresco the dome interior, which it is highly unlikely that Borromini intended. Further large-scale statuary and coloured marbling were also added; again, these are not part of Borromini's design repertoire that was orientated to white stucco architectural and symbolic motifs.<ref>Blunt, 1979,159-160</ref>