The church was built on behalf of the Barnabites (Catholic priests belonging to the Order of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul) between 1606 and 1611 and it was designed by the architect Ambrogio Mazenta. Between 1634 and 1636 the church was enriched by Ercole Fichi who added a graceful façade.
Inside the building, the vaults were magnificently decorated by Antonio and Giuseppe Rolli who potrayed the deeds of Saint Paul in the Areopagus in Athens.
Over the altar there are some valuable paintings by great Bolognese masters, such as Guercino, Giuseppe Maria Crespi (also known as Lo Spagnolo - The Spanish) and Lodovico Carracci, who portrayed the well known “Paradiso”.
The sumptuous high altar (1643-1650) is particularly beautiful; there, you can admire the sculpture representing “Decollazione di San Paolo” (“Decollation of St Paul”), now standing out at the centre: It was commissioned by the Barnabites and built by the bolognese Alessandro Algardi (who also built the medallion covering the front of the altar and the tabernacle).