Stunning church in Genova

#mediterranean #genova #liguria #italy #genoa I visited the Chiesa del Gesù e dei Santi Ambrogio e Andrea in Genoa and it completely surpassed my expectations. Built between the late 1500s and early 1600s by the Jesuits, it stands on the site of an earlier church tied to the arrival of the Milanese clergy in exile in the 6th century. The setting is right in the city center, near Piazza Matteotti, and the architecture feels both grand and intimate. Stepping inside, you're greeted by a single nave topped with a richly frescoed barrel vault and a central dome, and flanked by five side chapels on each side, each capped with its own small dome that lets light spill in. The effect is stunning, and the decoration is sumptuous, with polychrome marble and gilded stucco everywhere. The church houses remarkable works by major Baroque painters. You’ll find Rubens’s “Circumcision of Jesus” above the main altar and “Miracle of Saint Ignatius” in the left nave, along with Reni’s "Assumption" in the right chapel. There are also frescoes by Giovanni and Giovanni Battista Carlone, and decorations from artists like Domenico Piola, Simon Vouet, Lorenzo De Ferrari and others—all contributing to one of Genoa’s finest Baroque interiors. An interesting fact: though construction began in 1589 and the first mass was held in 1592, the façade wasn't fully completed until 1894. Its final design was actually based on plans drawn by Rubens himself. When the old arcade linking the church to the Doge’s Palace was demolished, the façade was rebuilt and embellished with statues of Saints Ambrogio and Andrea by Michele Ramognino