Description

On either side of Via del Corso at Piazza del Popolo in Rome stand two symmetrical chruches, Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto. They were commissioned by Pope Alexander VII in 1658 and designed by Carlo Rainaldi. Santa Maria in Montesano (on the left) was situated in a smaller area and therefore needed an oval dome. While Santa Maria dei Miracoli was constructed with a traditional circular dome.