Exterior view

In 1637 Borromini began the plans and building for the Oratory of St. Filippo Neri, one of the major Catholic congregations after the Jesuits. The community had a mother house on the Via Papalis and works continued further south towards Via del Pellegrino.

The photo shows the main fa�ade on Via del Pellegrino. Although the fa�ade is reminiscent of that of a church, its rows of domestic windows seem to contradict this impression. The main portion of the fa�ade consists of five bays, closely set with pilasters, arranged over a concave plan. But the central bay of the lower tier is curved outward, while that of the upper tier opens into a niche of considerable depth. Crowning the fa�ade rises the mighty pediment which, for the first time, combines curvilinear and angular movement.