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The Convent and Church of St Paul in Albano: A Treasure of Baroque and Neoclassical Art
Founded in 1282 at the behest of Cardinal Giacomo Savelli — who would later ascend to the papal throne as Pope Honorius IV — the Convent and Church of San Paolo is one of the richest sites in history and art in Albano. A place where architecture and painting merge, telling of centuries of transformation, faith and patronage of the arts.
A Palimpsest of Styles
The long history of the complex is visible in its very architecture, a fascinating contrast of styles. While the façade has an elegant 19th-century Neoclassical look today, the interior is a surprise, with an explosion of Baroque forms and decorations. This radical transformation was commissioned in 1769 by Prince Marco Antonio Colonna, who radically remodelled its spaces. An image of its earlier appearance has been handed down to us through a celebrated painting of 1710, executed by painter Gaspar Van Wittel on the occasion of a papal visit, and now preserved at the Pitti Museum in Florence.
A Gallery of Masterpieces
The interior of the church is a genuine picture gallery. Dominating the scene behind the high altar is a magnificent painting by Pietro da Cortona depicting "St Paul Receiving the Unction", a masterpiece of the late 17th century. The walls are enriched by numerous other works from the 17th and 18th centuries, while looking upward one can admire the splendid 19th-century fresco on the vault, attributed to Gagliardi, an artist that was very active in Albano during that period.
The Heart of Spirituality
Beyond its inestimable artistic heritage, the church preserves an important relic of the faith. Beneath the altar of the left side chapel there lies the body of St Gaspare Del Bufalo, founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood, making the place a centre of pilgrimage and profound spirituality.
