The church was built by order of Louis XII, King of France, who owned the land (previously, there was an extensive vineyard). Construction work went on for almost the entire 16th century. The church was built in the Gothic style with stones from Narbonne (a town in France). It was consecrated in 1585 by Pope Sixtus V. In order to connect the Pincio Hill with the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the construction of a road was decreed. After the road was built, it turned out it is located lower than the church. To solve the problem, the architect designed and built a double staircase with two terraces leading to the church.
