San Luigi dei Francesi: the three Caravaggios in Rome's French church

Updated on October 5, 2026

The church of San Luigi dei Francesi (St Louis of the French), in piazza San Luigi dei Francesi, is the national church of France in Rome, three minutes' walk from Piazza Navona. People come for the Contarelli Chapel, the last chapel on the left of the nave, where three large paintings by Caravaggio tell the story of St Matthew: the Calling, the Martyrdom and the Inspiration. Painted between 1599 and 1602, they were the painter's first public commissions and the ones that made him famous in Rome. Entry is free. Allow 30 to 45 minutes: enough time for the Caravaggios, Domenichino's frescoes and the baroque nave.

Highlights

The Contarelli Chapel

The French cardinal Matthieu Cointrel (Matteo Contarelli) left money to decorate it; Caravaggio received the commission in 1599, at about 28. The paintings hang at eye level, on the side walls and above the altar, and the light that enters from a window that is invisible in the canvases seems to continue the light of the real chapel.

The Calling of St Matthew

On the left wall, Christ points at the tax collector Levi, seated at a table with men in late 16th-century dress, while a shaft of light crosses the room. Matthew points at himself, as if to ask "me?". The painting dates from 1599-1600.

The façade and Domenichino's frescoes

The travertine façade, finished at the end of the 16th century, carries the salamander of Francis I and the saints of the French monarchy. Inside, the St Cecilia Chapel (second on the right) is decorated with frescoes by Domenichino, painted in 1616-1617 with scenes from the saint's life.

The Martyrdom and the Inspiration of St Matthew

On the right wall, the Martyrdom of St Matthew (1600-1601) shows the murderer raising his sword over the apostle, amid a crowd that scatters. Above the altar, St Matthew and the Angel (1602) is a second version: the first, rejected by the patrons, was destroyed in Berlin during the Second World War.

A French church in Rome

Founded in the 16th century for the French community and consecrated in 1589, the church holds the tombs of many French people who died in Rome and is still the setting for the French community's ceremonies. The Calling and the Martyrdom can be seen free of charge, without booking.

Practical info

Tips

The Contarelli Chapel is lit by a coin-operated timer: keep a 1 € coin to switch on the spotlights for a few minutes, because without light the canvases are very dark (price of the light to be checked on site). Speak quietly and avoid visiting during services: the church is still a place of worship, and modest dress is expected (shoulders and knees covered). Our article Caravaggio in Rome tells you where to see his other paintings, and the guide to the Pantheon-Navona area helps you link the neighbouring churches.

How to get there

Piazza di San Luigi dei Francesi 5, 00186 Rome, between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon (5 minutes on foot). No metro nearby: buses 40, 46, 62 and 64 (stops on corso Vittorio Emanuele II or largo di Torre Argentina) and tram 8 (largo di Torre Argentina), 10 minutes on foot.