San Carlo Alle Quattro Fontane
San Carlo Alle Quattro Fontane
4.5
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Tours & experiences
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Trevi
A non-stop photo and souvenir opportunity, Trevi is all about action. From early morning through the wee hours, the piazza surrounding Trevi Fountain hosts a never-ending flow of tourists hoping to make a wish or take a selfie. Clever restaurants, charming gelaterias, uncanny bars, kitsch shops, and a range of hotels make up the local landscape. Beneath the bustle are the remains of an ancient neighborhood that you can visit by heading over to a repertoire cinema and asking for a peek underground. There is something for everyone, but if peace and quiet are what you seek, plan to visit in the early morning hours.
How to get there
- Barberini - Fontana di Trevi • 4 min walk
- Repubblica - Teatro dell'Opera • 6 min walk
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Restaurants
8,038 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,328 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
309 reviews
Excellent
198
Very good
84
Average
25
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Skeney57
Sydney, Australia24,416 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
While being captivated by the four fountains I walked into this extremely small but fascinating church. This is in the baroque style and was designed by Francesco Borromini and dedicated in 1646. The fountain for the River Tiber is also displayed in the exterior corner of this church. Well worth a quick look while in the area!
Written August 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GrandTourPaul
Llangollen, UK62 contributions
May 2013 • Friends
Bernini and Borromin were the greatest architects in the seventeenth century in Rome. They were so different. Bernini was an exhuberant, outgoing man whilst Borromini seems to have been deeply introspective. He also seems to have been gay and eventually commited suicide.
The church of San Carlo by Borromini is a deeply subtle and mathematical church which rejects the gilded splendors of Bernini's creations. The facade (in a narrow and busy street and therefore a bit too dangerous to look at) is composed of concave and convex planes in a very rhythmic, but hard to understand structure. Inside, the church is a wonderfully geometric, difficult to grasp and quite elevating space. How he managed to put the design on paper completely eludes me. The complexities of the facade are continued within and the receeding and projecting lines of the cornices are well worth a few minutes of contemplative time, trying to work them out. Do not miss the crypt - where it would seem that Borromini wanted to be laid to rest. It has some mathematical complexities which are quite wonderful; especially the staircase and balustrade down into it.In spite of the spatial complexities the church seems pure and altogether an extraordinary sight.
The small cloister at the side is another example of his refusal to draw a straight line. The corners are projected out in a convex form - therefore there is no corner. What a complex mind and what a sad life he must have led.
A few hundred yards down the street is Bernini's church of Sant Andrea al Quirinale. Here Bernini's rival is at his most theatrical best. Like Borrimini's church, Bernini's is an oval shape. But inside it is a glowing canvas of gold filtered light, exhuberant stucco angels, and rare marble facings.This is the church triumphant, confidant and bold.
Fortunately we do not have to choose between the two. Either an introspective, cerebral and deeply troubled architect or the purveyor of sheer theatre. They each have a place. But, it is well worth trying to see these two churches one after the other. They give a deep insight into the art power-politics of seventeenth century Rome.
The church of San Carlo by Borromini is a deeply subtle and mathematical church which rejects the gilded splendors of Bernini's creations. The facade (in a narrow and busy street and therefore a bit too dangerous to look at) is composed of concave and convex planes in a very rhythmic, but hard to understand structure. Inside, the church is a wonderfully geometric, difficult to grasp and quite elevating space. How he managed to put the design on paper completely eludes me. The complexities of the facade are continued within and the receeding and projecting lines of the cornices are well worth a few minutes of contemplative time, trying to work them out. Do not miss the crypt - where it would seem that Borromini wanted to be laid to rest. It has some mathematical complexities which are quite wonderful; especially the staircase and balustrade down into it.In spite of the spatial complexities the church seems pure and altogether an extraordinary sight.
The small cloister at the side is another example of his refusal to draw a straight line. The corners are projected out in a convex form - therefore there is no corner. What a complex mind and what a sad life he must have led.
A few hundred yards down the street is Bernini's church of Sant Andrea al Quirinale. Here Bernini's rival is at his most theatrical best. Like Borrimini's church, Bernini's is an oval shape. But inside it is a glowing canvas of gold filtered light, exhuberant stucco angels, and rare marble facings.This is the church triumphant, confidant and bold.
Fortunately we do not have to choose between the two. Either an introspective, cerebral and deeply troubled architect or the purveyor of sheer theatre. They each have a place. But, it is well worth trying to see these two churches one after the other. They give a deep insight into the art power-politics of seventeenth century Rome.
Written May 28, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Z Factor
Wellington, New Zealand216 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
First up - timetable on the site is in correct. Check the one I have attached from the door step. They are not open on afternoons.
Second - what a beauty !!!
You would feel as if you were a pearl in an oyster. Check the niches with the shell roof work and the insignia of fish.
It is the cutest fun little church we have ever been. It is absolutely beautiful and full of intricate work.
You would feel so ensconced in this cozy atmosphere that time would fly just being the pearl.
The roof has wonderful mathematical patterns. Unlike the emotive baroque it is not overdone with too many intricate details. The simplicity is stunning.
Check out the cloister and cute little well. Ana amazing work to set up for the baroque and Bernini magic.
Second - what a beauty !!!
You would feel as if you were a pearl in an oyster. Check the niches with the shell roof work and the insignia of fish.
It is the cutest fun little church we have ever been. It is absolutely beautiful and full of intricate work.
You would feel so ensconced in this cozy atmosphere that time would fly just being the pearl.
The roof has wonderful mathematical patterns. Unlike the emotive baroque it is not overdone with too many intricate details. The simplicity is stunning.
Check out the cloister and cute little well. Ana amazing work to set up for the baroque and Bernini magic.
Written September 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kirk M
Edmonton, Canada1,917 contributions
Jun 2016 • Solo
Rules of architecture are made to be broken, and Francesco Borromini, in the 17th century, certainly did that when he designed this church. It's worthwhile seeking out, in a rather untouristed district, to see how eccentric this building is. Borromini was interested in complex mathematical formulas, and used them in his design for this church. The building ripples and shakes, inside and out. The feeling of movement is even more intense because it's quite small, squeezed into the corner of a street.
Part of the exterior bends at a crazy angle away from the rest of the church so it can accommodate a fountain, and this part has its own separate mini-tower! The whole building looks more like a piece of sculpture than architecture. Before you go in, be sure to notice the bizarre fountain embedded into the side: it shows Neptune, god of the sea, with water dribbling out of his urn. Look around at the nearby buildings at the street intersection: there are three other wall fountains, all featuring reclining mythological figures.
If you happen to be inside when a large tour group arrives---too bad! You'll be compressed! The church plan seems to be half-circles and stretched-out ovals, which was not traditional at the time. The interior of the dome is a complicated pattern of hexagons and crosses that looks like a fantasy from a child's mind. I was glad I ducked into the tiny cloister off to the right inside the church. It also looks squeezed, is very plain, and has a small well in the centre---and no grass or trees!
This church is one of the oddest of any in Rome in its design. It's also one of my favourite small churches.
Part of the exterior bends at a crazy angle away from the rest of the church so it can accommodate a fountain, and this part has its own separate mini-tower! The whole building looks more like a piece of sculpture than architecture. Before you go in, be sure to notice the bizarre fountain embedded into the side: it shows Neptune, god of the sea, with water dribbling out of his urn. Look around at the nearby buildings at the street intersection: there are three other wall fountains, all featuring reclining mythological figures.
If you happen to be inside when a large tour group arrives---too bad! You'll be compressed! The church plan seems to be half-circles and stretched-out ovals, which was not traditional at the time. The interior of the dome is a complicated pattern of hexagons and crosses that looks like a fantasy from a child's mind. I was glad I ducked into the tiny cloister off to the right inside the church. It also looks squeezed, is very plain, and has a small well in the centre---and no grass or trees!
This church is one of the oddest of any in Rome in its design. It's also one of my favourite small churches.
Written July 21, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jsctraveler
Pittsburgh, PA490 contributions
Nov 2013 • Friends
In a city where churches proliferate, San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane is not to be missed. (This comes from someone who has lived in Rome, seen many churches, and who just visited San Carlo recently--to my great loss.) This was Borromini's first architectural commission. He was given a tight budget and a tight, oddly-shaped space and crafted a work of Baroque genius. It's difficult to visit and not be overwhelmed by the simple beauty of the space, no matter one's religious convictions.
The church is easy to reach from the Barberini metro stop: find the Via Quattro Fontane that shoots off the piazza and walk up the hill until you reach the church on the right. Be aware that it is closed in the middle of the day (I think from 1-3 p.m.). It's usually not mobbed with tourists, so I found it a nice place to relax and reflect.
The church is easy to reach from the Barberini metro stop: find the Via Quattro Fontane that shoots off the piazza and walk up the hill until you reach the church on the right. Be aware that it is closed in the middle of the day (I think from 1-3 p.m.). It's usually not mobbed with tourists, so I found it a nice place to relax and reflect.
Written November 15, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
puppydust
London, England, United Kingdom25 contributions
May 2013 • Solo
Poor Borromini eh? Arch-nemesis Bernini gets all the limelight as being the master of baroque roman architecture and sculpture which often means Borromini's contributions to Rome get overlooked.
In my 4 day trip to rome I managed to squeeze in 9 churches, amongst others: Chiesa del Gesu, San Luigi dei Francesi, and St Peter's Basilica – all beautiful, awe-inspiring and truly magnificent (not to mention huge) buildings in their own right, but from another viewpoint relentlessly ostentatious displays of wealth and grandeur.
In stark comparison San Carle alle Quattro Fontane is characterised by it's modest size, and a sense of purity and restraint that the dazzling churches adorned with gold stucco and tennis-court-sized frescos don't have. Austerity might not seem a very baroque trait, but the architecture here pulls it off elegantly. Borromini was influenced by harmony and geometry which underpins the formation of beautiful tessellating shapes and layout of the church's main architectural features. The ceiling is an angelic white, relying solely on the interplay of the genius geometry and the light that streams in through the windows and oculus.
I have heard it as being compared to the complex musicality of Bach, and indeed there is a certain musical sense of harmony and counterpoint to be appreciated. I really enjoyed getting lost in the details that weren't immediately obvious.
I'd highly recommend taking a look at this church if you've done a great deal of the other churches in Rome and are looking for something a little different.
Outside, the fountains and undulating facade are also a treat.
Try not to get run over :)
In my 4 day trip to rome I managed to squeeze in 9 churches, amongst others: Chiesa del Gesu, San Luigi dei Francesi, and St Peter's Basilica – all beautiful, awe-inspiring and truly magnificent (not to mention huge) buildings in their own right, but from another viewpoint relentlessly ostentatious displays of wealth and grandeur.
In stark comparison San Carle alle Quattro Fontane is characterised by it's modest size, and a sense of purity and restraint that the dazzling churches adorned with gold stucco and tennis-court-sized frescos don't have. Austerity might not seem a very baroque trait, but the architecture here pulls it off elegantly. Borromini was influenced by harmony and geometry which underpins the formation of beautiful tessellating shapes and layout of the church's main architectural features. The ceiling is an angelic white, relying solely on the interplay of the genius geometry and the light that streams in through the windows and oculus.
I have heard it as being compared to the complex musicality of Bach, and indeed there is a certain musical sense of harmony and counterpoint to be appreciated. I really enjoyed getting lost in the details that weren't immediately obvious.
I'd highly recommend taking a look at this church if you've done a great deal of the other churches in Rome and are looking for something a little different.
Outside, the fountains and undulating facade are also a treat.
Try not to get run over :)
Written May 24, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KXLingle
Sioux Falls, SD97 contributions
Nov 2019
*Check the open hours before you visit.*
This is one of my favorite churches in Rome, which is certainly saying something. I find it difficult to put into words just why I find Borromini's churches to be so aesthetically appealing.The mostly-monochromatic interiors or San Carlino (this church) and Sant'Ivo could be part of that as they are so vastly different than the vast majority of the spaces in the city. That said, there is just so much movement, but also balance in this space that I find it calming. It is also an intimate space, which, I think, emphasizes the quality of the design.
I love that you can visit the Borromini crypt and cloister; just remember to have a few euros handy to pay for this pleasure.
This is one of my favorite churches in Rome, which is certainly saying something. I find it difficult to put into words just why I find Borromini's churches to be so aesthetically appealing.The mostly-monochromatic interiors or San Carlino (this church) and Sant'Ivo could be part of that as they are so vastly different than the vast majority of the spaces in the city. That said, there is just so much movement, but also balance in this space that I find it calming. It is also an intimate space, which, I think, emphasizes the quality of the design.
I love that you can visit the Borromini crypt and cloister; just remember to have a few euros handy to pay for this pleasure.
Written November 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tamer H
Bolu, Türkiye251 contributions
Oct 2019
In my third visit I have been able to visit this heritage site. It is open for visit just few days a week and few hours a day; so one must plan the visit carefully.
San Carlino is a small church; the constraint of the building site has been a challenge to Borromini; however he has excelled this through a series of genius ideas which resulted in a masterpiece of western architecture. The peculiar curves of the interior, combination of concave and convex lines that dominate the interior and exterior of the building, perspective illusions of the small niches, high dome lit by continuous daylight create a relieving mood; you want to stay inside for hours.
Please remember that, there is a limited number of artworks inside. The building itself is the highlight.
Do not skip to visit the cloister and the crypt. In the crypt one can see the fragments of the old frescoes; heavily deteriorated due to humidity. Yes the humidity caused severe damage on the building too. The walls adjoining the crypt entrance have cracks going through the buttress-like arcs which look quite threatening. The adjacent fontana is dry while other four are working; probably because of this risk.
In short; it is a masterpiece, not 'just another church'. It should be within Rome Top-Ten for every art lover.
San Carlino is a small church; the constraint of the building site has been a challenge to Borromini; however he has excelled this through a series of genius ideas which resulted in a masterpiece of western architecture. The peculiar curves of the interior, combination of concave and convex lines that dominate the interior and exterior of the building, perspective illusions of the small niches, high dome lit by continuous daylight create a relieving mood; you want to stay inside for hours.
Please remember that, there is a limited number of artworks inside. The building itself is the highlight.
Do not skip to visit the cloister and the crypt. In the crypt one can see the fragments of the old frescoes; heavily deteriorated due to humidity. Yes the humidity caused severe damage on the building too. The walls adjoining the crypt entrance have cracks going through the buttress-like arcs which look quite threatening. The adjacent fontana is dry while other four are working; probably because of this risk.
In short; it is a masterpiece, not 'just another church'. It should be within Rome Top-Ten for every art lover.
Written October 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandee B
Richmond, VA179 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
We had NO idea that this little Baroque masterpiece even existed -- we almost literally stumbled upon it walking to see another church and avoiding a crowd on the street (let's just duck in here for a minute). WOW. The ceiling was fashioned to call to mind the Pantheon but it's clearly a more modern triumph. It doesn't take long to visit -- but do stop in (and leave a few coins for the upkeep -- not required, just nice to do). Look up to the center of the dome and prepared to be awed.
Written April 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Borzov
Rijeka, Croatia5,292 contributions
Apr 2016 • Solo
A Baroque church, designed by Francesco Borromini in the 17th century, shows a full size of the architect’s ingenuity. The church is elegantly placed into a tiny and strangely shaped site. The interior is masterly designed in a very complex and unusual way. It is a true masterpiece of the Baroque architecture
Written April 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is deze kerk San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane geopend en te bezoeken op zondag namiddag op 9 december 2018 ?
Written August 6, 2018
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