The Chapel

The Chapel

Grand stately homes always had a private space reserved for prayer, an island of spirituality where members of the family could seek refuge and find solace in the silence of worship. In Palazzo Doria Pamphilj this place is the enchanting Chapel, designed by Carlo Fontana between 1689 and 1691 and further remodelled and embellished various times over the centuries. In the mid-19th century, Tommaso Minardi, the purist painter and artistic advisor to Filippo Andrea V Doria Pamphilj, painted the Coronation of the Virgin on the vault. On the ceiling of the Antechapel the false perspective monochrome decoration creates the illusion of a dome, giving the impression that the whole space is being projected towards the divine. The Chapel and Antechapel of the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj house a number of interesting relics. Amongst these are the perfectly preserved remains of Saint Theodora, saved from a fiery death, according to legend, when divine intervention divided the flames before her, and the relics of a martyred Saint known as the Centurion, who is said to have been one of the Imperial Roman guards present at the crucifixion of Jesus.

Also worthy of note are the old ceramic Stations of the Cross and the gilt bronze hanging lamp designed by Bernini.