Counter Reformation and Early Baroque Rome

The Counter Reformation was a period in which, with the intention of inspiring a Catholic revival in Rome, Pope Pius IV in 1560 set up a series of reforms. This worked in tandem with the Council of Trent (1545-63) where Pope Paul III addressed the corruption and abuse within the church. Saint Charles Borromeo worked in support of this revival, which also included the rejection of Protestant practices and the establishment of new religious orders. One of the strongest orders to come from this are the Jesuits, founded by S. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534. This would effect architecture by the changing needs of churches and the creation of pilgrimage routes. In this period we will see the transition from Late Renaissance to Early Baroque.