| This church was built according to
the wish of Girolamo Colonna, Bishop of Frascati, and fourth Duke
of Marino, following the design of Antonio del Grande, (1620-1671),
who collaborated with Vincenzo Della Greca.
It is consecrated to the apostle San Barnaba, patron of Marino
from 1617, thanks to his miraculous intervention: during the
celebration for this patron and for two consecutive years, the
hailstorms, which were destroying the cultivations, suddenly
interrupted. This structure was built on the previous structures
of the Orti Boezi, out of the northern walls. These were knocked
down to create a large road, called ‘strada larga'.
On 10th June 1640 began the construction works. The façade,
imposing and regular in its shape, was built between 1652 and
1653. In the niches over the entrance portal there are two peperino
statues representing San Barnaba and Santa Lucia, patrons of
Marino. In the interior, the nave is covered with a barrel vault
with lunettes. In the apse there is a painting representing
the martyrdom of San Barnaba probably made by Bartolomeo Gennari
(1594-1661), pupil of the school of Guercino. There is also
a small temple coming from the church of Santa Lucia, made of
the ruins of the Diana Aricina's Temple. On the near pilaster
there is a shield, trophy of the Lepanto Battle.
In the left aisle, there is a statue representing Santa Lucia,
a painting representing the Assunta, made by Pier Leone Ghezzi
(1674-1755) and a painting representing the martyrdom of San
Bartolomeo, probably made by artists the school of Guercino.
In the sacristy there is a wonderful cross made by artists of
the school of Bernini.
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