Funerary Monument of Pope Gregory XV

Walking Tours of Rome

Funerary monument of Pope Gregory XV and Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi

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The huge and extravagantly ornate funerary monument of Pope Gregory XV (r. 1621-23) and his nephew Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi, which stands in the church of Sant' Ignazio, was designed by the French sculptor Pierre Legros (1666-1719) and created between 1709 and 1719. 

The 17th century church is dedicated to the Spanish saint and founder of the Order of Jesuits, Ignatius Loyola, who was canonised by Gregory XV in 1622. The building of the church was funded by the pope's fabulously wealthy nephew, Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi (1595-1632), whose name is prominently inscribed on the facade. 

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Funerary monument of Pope Gregory XV and Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi