Santa Chiara

<h2>Exterior</h2>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-filler="true"></p><h3>Layout and fabric</h3>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">Apart from the façade, the external fabric of the church is mostly concealed behind seminary buildings, but the right hand wall of the nave can be seen just down the Via di Torre Argentina with two lunette windows lighting the chapels on that side.
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">The campanile seems to be a cubical kiosk on the top of the domestic building abutting the church in the same street, and is very difficult to view. It has a double arched soundhole on each of three faces, with Corinthian imposts embellishing that facing the street. The corners have Corinthian pilasters, and there is a strongly projecting cornice with a tiled pyramidal cap. The fourth side is attached to the wall of the central nave, and the cap is lower than the main roof of the latter which is pitched and tiled.
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">To the left of the church is the site of the original Renaissance convent, which was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century to accommodate the Pontifical French Seminary. It is in a spacious and rather attractive neo-Renaissance style, and within is arranged around an arcaded cloister. The original convent had no cloister or garden, and the health of the sisters must have suffered from not having a suitable place to walk in the open air.
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<h3>Façade</h3>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">The façade was designed by Luca Carimini. Compare the façades of <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Sant%27Ivo%20dei%20Bretoni%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Sant%27Ivo%20dei%20Bretoni%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BSant%27Ivo%20dei%20Bretoni%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062" href="/wiki/Sant%27Ivo_dei_Bretoni" title="Sant'Ivo dei Bretoni">Sant'Ivo dei Bretoni</a> and <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Sant%5Cu2019Antonio%20da%20Padova%20a%20Via%20Merulana%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Sant%5Cu2019Antonio%20da%20Padova%20a%20Via%20Merulana%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BSant%5Cu2019Antonio%20da%20Padova%20a%20Via%20Merulana%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062" href="/wiki/Sant%E2%80%99Antonio_da_Padova_a_Via_Merulana" title="Sant’Antonio da Padova a Via Merulana">Sant’Antonio da Padova a Via Merulana</a> by the same architect. Carimini's façades are unusual designs for Rome, and this one has high-quality detailing which repays inspection.
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">There are two storeys. The first one has two pairs of derivative Corinthian pilasters in very shallow relief, standing on two very high plinths. These support an entablature with a dedicatory inscription: <i>Deo Optimo Maximo et in honorem Immaculati Cordis Mariae et Clarae Virginis</i> ("To God the Most Great and in honour of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Clare the Virgin"). 
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">The single entrance has a molded doorcase, and is flanked by the unusual design feature of two narrow panels set diagonally and each embellished by a tall flower sprays issuing from a vase. These panels are in turn flanked by a pair of Corinthian columns supporting an entablature with posts over the capitals, and over this is an arch with a dished archivolt decorated with rosette coffering. The tympanum of this consists of a terracotta relief of Our Lady as the <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Immaculate%20Conception%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FImmaculate_Conception%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FImmaculate_Conception%20Immaculate%20Conception%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception">Immaculate Conception</a>,  set in a mandorla and being venerated by angels. On the top of the arch is an acanthus finial.
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">In between the pilaster pairs is a pair of empty round-headed semi-circular niches, each with a raised tympanum and the same sort of flower-spray decoration down the sides as with the entrance. These niches have a pair of small round windows over them.  
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">The second storey has an arcade containing seven arched windows. The arches are separated by Corinthian pilasters, and the windows have their own arched frames with Corinthian semi-columns. This arcade is surmounted by a row of seven busts of saints carved in high relief within tondi. At either end of the arcade and of the row of tondi are the four symbols of the Evangelists carved in relief; the lion for St Mark, the ox for St Luke, the man for St Matthew and the eagle for St John. The saints in the tondi are: SS <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Bernard%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FBernard_of_Clairvaux%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FBernard_of_Clairvaux%20Bernard%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_of_Clairvaux">Bernard</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Denis%20of%20Paris%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FDenis%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttps%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FDenis%20Denis%20of%20Paris%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062"  class="text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis">Denis of Paris</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Hilary%20of%20Poitiers%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FHilary_of_Poitiers%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FHilary_of_Poitiers%20Hilary%20of%20Poitiers%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilary_of_Poitiers">Hilary of Poitiers</a>, Charles Borromeo, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Martin%20of%20Tours%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FMartin_of_Tours%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FMartin_of_Tours%20Martin%20of%20Tours%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_of_Tours">Martin of Tours</a>, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Francis%20of%20Sales%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FFrancis_de_Sales%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FFrancis_de_Sales%20Francis%20of%20Sales%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_de_Sales">Francis of Sales</a> and <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Vincent%20de%20Paul%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FVincent_de_Paul%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fen.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FVincent_de_Paul%20Vincent%20de%20Paul%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062"  class="text" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_de_Paul">Vincent de Paul</a>. The sculptor was <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22external%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Domenico%20Bartolini%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22http%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fit.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FDomenico_Bartolini%22%2C%22linktype%22%3A%22text%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fit.wikipedia.org%5C%2Fwiki%5C%2FDomenico_Bartolini%20Domenico%20Bartolini%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="1750-5411620315def5b4724062"  class="text" href="http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domenico_Bartolini">Domenico Bartolini</a> .
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">The triangular pediment crowning the façade has no pilasters supporting it, but has a dentillate cornice with modillions. In the tympanum is an odd terracotta relief of the Madonna and Child being entreated by sufferers, and this is also by Bartolini.
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