Church of the Gesù in Rome: the Mother Church of the Jesuits, Baciccia's Ceiling and St Ignatius's Tomb

Updated on October 5, 2026

The Church of the Gesù, on Piazza del Gesù a short walk from Via del Corso, is the mother church of the Society of Jesus. Begun in 1568 to plans by Vignola, with a façade by Giacomo della Porta, it became the model for hundreds of Baroque churches around the world. Inside you will find a single nave, a decor of gold and stucco, a painted ceiling that seems to open onto the sky, and the chapel where St Ignatius of Loyola is buried. Entry is free. Allow 30 to 45 minutes, or an hour if you add the Rooms of St Ignatius.

Highlights

The façade

Designed by Giacomo della Porta, it draws on Santa Maria Novella in Florence and was copied by countless Counter-Reformation churches. Step back into the square to take in its proportions before going inside.

Baciccia's vault

The "Triumph of the Name of Jesus", painted by Giovanni Battista Gaulli, known as Baciccia, between 1672 and 1679, spills out of its frame: the figures and Antonio Raggi's stuccoes seem to fall into the nave. Look up from the middle of the nave: the effect is striking.

St Ignatius's chapel

In the left transept, the chapel designed by the Jesuit Andrea Pozzo at the end of the 17th century holds the tomb of Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the order, beneath an altar of precious marbles, gilded bronze and lapis lazuli. Stand facing the altar to take in the whole ensemble.

St Francis Xavier's chapel

In the right transept, a chapel keeps a relic of the arm of the saint, a Jesuit missionary in Asia.

The Rooms of St Ignatius

Next to the church, the rooms where Ignatius of Loyola lived and died in 1556 can be visited at set times, along with a corridor decorated with false perspectives painted by Pozzo. Ask at the reception or check the church's website, as time slots change with the season.

Opening hours and prices

Free entry. October to June: Monday to Friday 7:30am–12:30pm and 4:30pm–7:30pm, Saturday until 8pm, Sunday and public holidays 8:30am–1:30pm and 4:30pm–8pm. From July to September the midday closing starts earlier and the church reopens at 5pm. Rooms of St Ignatius: Monday to Saturday 4pm–6pm, Sunday and public holidays 10am–noon.

Practical info

Tips

Modest dress is required (shoulders and knees covered). Services are held at fixed times: during Mass, sightseeing is restricted. Hours checked in October 2026; verify them on the church's website before you go. For more free churches, see our guide to the most beautiful churches in Rome, and for the neighbourhood, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona guide.

How to get there

Piazza del Gesù, 00186 Rome, between Via del Plebiscito and Via degli Astalli. Largo di Torre Argentina is a 5-minute walk (buses 40, 46, 62, 64, 70, 81, 87, 492, C3 and H, tram 8), and Piazza Venezia is also 5 minutes away. The metro is far: allow 15 minutes from Barberini or Colosseo.

Opening hours

Best: Late afternoon

Monday–Friday 07:30-12:30 and 16:30-19:30 (Saturday until 20:00; Sunday and public holidays 08:30-13:30 and 16:30-20:00; slightly reduced summer hours)