CHIESA DEL GESÙ
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Genoese Baroque church built between 1589 and 1606 in Genoa.
Often overlooked, wrongly so, the church is a fine example of Genoese Baroque architecture. It was built between 1589 and 1606 on the eastern side of Piazza Matteotti, between the Ducal Palace and Porta Soprana. It stands on the site of an earlier 6th-century building and, thanks to its remodeling, displays both the interior and exterior of the Genoese Baroque style at its best. A rigorous facade of great simplicity, adorned with statues of Saints Ambrose and Andrew, is echoed by the opulence of the Baroque interior décor. A profusion of polychrome marble, frescoes, gilded stucco and bas-reliefs immerse visitors in the spirit of the Counter-Reformation. The creation of the church, at the end of the 16th century, is linked to the arrival in the city of the Society of Jesus, explicitly requested from the Pope by Andrea Doria, then head of the Republic of Genoa, at the height of its glory. Great artists were involved in its decoration: Rubens was responsible for the superb altarpiece on the central altar depicting the Circumcision of Christ, as well as the Miracle of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a masterpiece in the left transept that alone justifies a visit. The succession of side chapels, each belonging to one of the city's aristocratic families, is equally richly decorated. Highlights include a Crucifixion by Simon Vouet, and The Assumption of the Virgin by Guido Reni. An impressive dome that seems to open onto the sky covers the nave and central transept.
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