At its foundation, the church took the name ‘Trinità del Monte” probably as a reference to the Roman hill on which it was built, the Pincian Hill. Construction of the first building was completed in 1595 and it was consecrated by Pope Sixtus V. This Pope had also commissioned the famous architect Domenico Fontana to build a road connecting this church with the basilica of Saint Mary Major. Fontana, seeing the differences in the level of the ground caused by such major works, also designed a monumental two-flight staircase – which we now know as the Spanish Steps - which guarantees access to the church.
The convent founded by St Francis of Paula in 1494 stands next to the church. It was built thanks to financial support received from the French crown, in order to welcome at that time, French religious from the Order of Minims.
