The church of
Santa Rita da Cascia alle Vergini is a 17th century Baroque confraternity church, formerly conventual, south of the Trevi Fountain in the rione Trevi.
For reference, a plan of the church is available
here.
It was built in 1615 under the title of Santa Maria delle Vergini in place of an existing small church named Santa Maria in Cannella and entrusted to the care of the Augustinian nuns of the nearby College of Our Lady of Refuge.
The church was then rebuilt (1634-1636) because it was too small to the needs of the college. Architect on the project was Francesco Peparelli and on 8 June 1636 the new Church inaugurated.
In 1660 the convent of the nuns was finally completed, under the direction of architect Domenico Castelli. At this time, the architect curator Mattia de'Rossi was responsible for work on the church, including the high altar, which was built in 1681 and decorated in 1691-1693, and the facade, but was only completed in 1696, while the decoration of the dome began in 1695.
The church and the monastery was Augustinians until 1871, when it was confiscated by the Italian State, together with the convent, and desecrated.
In 1904, when the Church of St. Rita of Cascia in Campitelli, at the foot of the Capitol, it was dismantled for the construction of the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, the church was reopened to the public to host the Confraternity of the Holy Spina Crown of Our Lord Jesus Christ and St. Rita of Cascia in place of their old church, so the church was consecrated and dedicated to Saint Rita of Cascia.
