Saint Susanna

I chose this building because it is the oldest building in the city of Rome. It is the starting of church in the Baroque Art.

The greatest manifestation of the Baroque spirit in architecture is found in the facade of the Roman church of Santo Suasanna designed by Carlo Maderno (1556 -1629). The tall central section of the facade projects forward from the horizontal lower story  and the scroll buttresses that connect the two levels are narrow and set at a sharp angle . The vertical trust of the design is further enhanced by elimination of the arch framing the pediment over the doorway. The sculptural effect is enhanced by the recessed voids which contain statues .

The church consists of a single nave, with a circular apse forming two side-chapels. The frescoes of the central nave by Baldassare Croce represent six scenes from the life of Susanna found in the Book of Daniel. The frescoes on the curved side of the apse shows Saint Susanna being threatened by Maximian, but defended by the angel of God and to the right, Susanna refusing to worship the idol Jupiter. Nebbia's frescoes of the dome of the apse depict Saint Susanna flanked on either side by angels with musical instruments. Behind the high altar, the painting depicting the beheading of Saint Susanna is by Tommaso Laureti.

The Church of Santa Susanna is one of the oldest titles in the city of Rome.In the 4th century it was marked with the designation ad duas domos .

http://www.essential-humanities.net/western-art/western-architecture/baroque-architecture/

http://www.santasusanna.org/ourChurch/tour.html

http://romanchurches.wikia.com/wiki/Santa_Susanna

http://ah112.tumblr.com/post/417715645/carlo-maderno-santa-susanna-rome