Which Baroque architect designed the Church of the Gesù in Rome?

The Baroque architect who designed the Church of the Gesù in Rome was Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola.

Usually called Il Gesù, the church is the mother church of the Society of Jesus and one of the most influential buildings of the Counter-Reformation. Cardinal Alessandro Farnese funded the project, and construction began in 1568 according to Vignola’s design.

Vignola planned a broad single nave with side chapels, a prominent dome, and shortened transepts. The arrangement helped worshippers hear sermons clearly and kept attention focused on the high altar, reflecting the Catholic Church’s pastoral priorities after the Council of Trent. The plan became a model for Jesuit churches across Europe and in overseas colonies.

Vignola did not complete every major element. After his death, Giacomo della Porta revised the façade and designed the dome, cross-vault, and apse. This shared responsibility explains why della Porta is sometimes named alongside Vignola. The church was consecrated in 1584. Carlo Maderno, Bernini, and Borromini were important Roman architects, but none is the canonical primary designer of the Gesù.