Jesuitenkirche Art Gallery
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The order of Jesuits, founded by Ignatius von Loyola in the 16th century, quickly established itself as the intellectual vanguard of the Catholic Church, and became the spearhead of the Counter Reformation. As teachers and confessors to major rulers, the Jesuits exercised a great deal of influence. They promoted the spread of the sciences and used the theatre extensively in their teachings. They shaped men such as Descartes, Voltaire and Diderot, and in so doing unwittingly prepared the ground for the Enlightenment.
