Mattia de Rossi

Who was Mattia de Rossi?

Mattia de Rossi was an Italian architect of the Baroque period, active mainly in Rome and surrounding towns.

Born in Rome to a family of architects and artisans, he rose to prominence under the mentorship of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and even inherited the position as chief architect of the Fabbrica di San Pietro in 1680 after the master died. In that post, he continued the work that had been started by Bernini on the outside colonnade and the Ponte Sant’Angelo.

He worked during a period with notable competitors, including the prolific Carlo Fontana. Among his works are the facades of the churches of St. Gall and San Francesco a Ripa; finishing touches or reconstruction for Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, Santa Maria di Montesanto, and Santa Croce e San Bonaventura dei Lucchesi; the customs office in Ripa Grande; the Palazzo Muti Papazzurri; the tomb monument to Giovanna Garzoni in Santi Luca e Martina; the Mausoleum of Leo X; and the monument to Clement X in St. Peter's Basilica. This latter funereal monument was designed by de Rossi, but the sculptures were completed by Lazzaro Morelli, Ercole Ferrata and Giuseppe Mazzuoli.