St Louis of the French, the National French Church
A five-minute walk from the apartment of Rome4Guest-Spagna is St Louis of the French, the National French Church, founded by the cardinal Giulio de’ Medici (who later became Pope Clemente VII) in 1518 and completed in 1589 by Giacomo della Porta e Domenico Fontana.
The big facade dating from the late Renaissance and attributed to Giacomo della Porta is divided by pilasters into five aisles, with three doors and two niches that contain statues of Lestache (1758) representing Carlo Magno, St. Louis, St. Clotilde and St. Giovanna from Valois.
The paintings of Caravaggio
The different chapels of St. Louis of the French are all wonderful, but the most famous is the Contarelli Chapel. (After you enter the church, it is the last one on the left nave.) There you will see three precious masterpieces of Caravaggio which are part of the Saint Matthew Cycle: The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew, The Calling of Saint Matthew and The Inspiration of Saint Matthew.