SPADA, VIRGILIO - Islands between the Via Borgo Vecchio and Borgo Nuovo, from Piazza S. Pietro to Piazza S. Giacomo, with the rental value of the individual houses. Autograph drawing by V. S. - Vatican Library, cod. Vat. Ist. 11257, f. 6.
SPADA, VIRGILIO. - Oratorian, architect, b. at Brisighella (Faenza) on 17 July 1596, d. at Rome on 11 Dec. 1662.
A close relative of Cardinals Bernardino (d. 1661) and Fabrizio (d. 1717), he came to Rome after an adventurous youth, and on 14 Oct. 1622, already a priest, he was admitted to the Oratory, of which he was also provost from 1 April 1638 to 10 June 1645. He was almoner to Innocent X and to Alexander VII and from 15 March 1636 commendatore of S. Spirito. He earned great merit through his considerable administrative ability and his technical competence in the field of construction. He was in contact with Bernini, with Borromini, with Rainaldi, with Algardi, with Fr. Grassi, with Carlo Fontana and other well-known architects of that period. His work was particularly valuable in the Congregation of the Oratory, since he provided for the completion of the Chiesa Nuova, remaining very close to Borromini. From 1645 he was part of the administration of the VaticanBasilica, thus taking part in the discussions of those years, particularly concerning the bell tower and the famous colonnade. Before this arose, in 1651 he drew up a very detailed plan for creating a great square in front of the Vatican Basilica, demolishing the houses between Borgo Vecchio and Borgo Nuovo. He also lent his assistance in the construction of the Carceri nuove and in other buildings. The Opus architectonicum, which appeared under Borromini's name, is his work.
Bibliography3 worksP. Aringhi, Mem. stor. della vita del p. V. S., Venice 1788; Fr. Ehrle, Dalle carte e dai disegni di V. S., in Mem. della Pont. accad. rom.
BIBL.: P. Aringhi, Mem. stor. della vita del p. V. S., Venice 1788; Fr. Ehrle, Dalle carte e dai disegni di V. S., in Mem. della Pont. accad. rom. di archeol., II, Rome 1928, p. 17; G. Tardini, Basilica Vatic. e Borghi, Rome n.d., p. 57 ff.
Orazi, Ausenda Renata. “Spada, virgilio.” In Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. XI, coll. 1018–1019. Città del Vaticano: Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1953. https://azioneromana.com/article/spada-virgilio.
MLA
Orazi, Ausenda Renata. “Spada, virgilio.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. XI, Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico, 1953, coll. 1018–1019. Azione Romana, https://azioneromana.com/article/spada-virgilio.
BibTeX
@incollection{ec11_spada_virgilio,
author = {Orazi, Ausenda Renata},
title = {Spada, virgilio},
booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica},
volume = {XI},
pages = {1018--1019},
note = {Cited by column},
publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico},
address = {Città del Vaticano},
year = {1953},
url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/spada-virgilio}
}
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