Ecstasy of Saint Teresa

Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria This is Bernini as stage director. Made between 1647 and 1652 for Cardinal Federico Cornaro's family chapel, it shows the saint swooning as an angel holds an arrow over her, with golden rays pouring down and daylight falling from a window hidden behind the pediment. The trick most people miss is on the side walls, where marble members of the Cornaro family sit in theater boxes, watching the drama with you. Entry is free, but the small church closes for a long midday break, so come early or mid-afternoon and stay out of the way during Mass.