128.

Chiesa della SS. Trinità, e Convento dei PP. Trinitarij

Known as Trinità degli Spagnoli, this is one of the three Spanish national churches in the city (the others being S. Giacomo on Piazza Navona, Plate 26 and S. Maria di Monserrato on Via di Monserrato, Plate 111). It was built in the 1730s by the architect Dos Santos. The quartered coat-of-arms near the top of the concave facade is that of the royal house of Spain, combined with the red and blue cross of the Spanish Trinitarians. These priests had the function of ransoming Christian slaves from their Moslem captors, as evinced by the sculptural group over the main door which portrays an angel releasing two reclining chained figures. The church with its adjacent monastery was a late addition to the Baroque development of the area between Via del Corso and Piazza di Spagna (the latter named after the Spanish embassy). It stands on Via dei Condotti (1) near its intersection with Via del Corso. Via dei Condotti was cut through in the 1540s by Paul III Farnese (1534-1549) as part of the Via Trinitatis, the cross street of the Piazza del Popolo Trivium, seen skirting the Palazzo Nunez (2) as it leading to the church of Trinità dei Monti (4) on top of the Pincian hill. Barely visible is the Fontana della Barcaccia at the base of the steps, Plate 40A. A contiguous view, Plate 68, shows a corner of the monastery and church, the nearby Palazzo Ruspoli and the Via del Corso as it heads towards the distant Piazza Venezia.