It is best known for its commanding position above the Spanish Steps which lead down to the Piazza di Spagna. The church and its surrounding area (including the Villa Medici) are the property of the French State. In 1502, Louis XII of France began construction of the church next to a monastery for the Minimite Friars. The present Italian Renaissance church was eventually built in its place and finally consecrated in 1585 by the great urbanizer Pope Sixtus V. In front of the church stands the Obelisco Sallustiano, one of the many obelisks in Rome, moved here in 1789. The architect of the facade is unknown. The architect of the double staircase in front of the church was Fontana.