The answer to this question is in part hinted at in the term "gothic" itself, but before we get into that it must first be noted that the gothic style found its origins in the north of Europe around the twelfth century. Accordingly, form a Roman perspective, gothic was both foreign to Roman culture and it was also a relative new-comer artistically speaking (and Rome already had a long and venerable architectural patrimony of its own that it understandably embraced). This, in part, is the first factor in considering the absence of gothic within Rome. Returning to the origin and meaning of the term "gothic" though, we can find another, perhaps somewhat more telling and polemical reason for this absence.
If you are at all familiar with history, particularly in the period of the later Roman Empire, you will no doubt recognize that "gothic" comes with reference to the Goths. The Goths were peoples who came from the "barbarian" territories of the north and they made their impact felt on the Roman Empire in its dwindling days in the West -- most notoriously in the Visigothic sack of Rome in the 410 A.D. You will no doubt already sense where this is going and the Victoria and Albert Museum summarize nicely the origin and intent of the term "gothic" as applied to art and architecture:
The term Gothic was first coined by Italian writers in the later Renaissance period (late 15th to early 17th century). The word was used in a derogatory way as a synonym of 'barbaric'. They denounced this type of art as unrefined and ugly and attributed it to the Gothic tribes which had destroyed the Roman Empire and its classical culture in the 5th century AD.
So then, it perhaps should come as no surprise that the gothic style found little sympathy or demand within Rome itself. It was not only considered a foreign architecture, it was considered the style of barbarians who had done untold damage to Rome. Labelling this style as "gothic" then was effectively synonymous with calling it the "barbarian style." To be far preferred, from this perspective, were those styles which were native to the Roman Empire and considered "Roman" (which, let us note, also included the art and architecture of the Eastern half of the Empire, i.e. the 'Byzantine' style); art that was rooted in the cultural patrimony of Roman Empire and the classical world.
But with all that said, you can indeed find a few examples of full fledged gothic in Rome, the most prominent of which being the thirteenth/fourteenth century papal basilica of S. Maria sopra Minerva (and it is perhaps ironic that it is located right next door to one of the greatest extant examples of classical Roman architecture, the Pantheon).
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| Interior, S. Maria sopra Minerva |
This is really "it" when it comes to gothic architecture within Rome. However, there are two other examples that I can think of offhand, but neither are particularly important and both are modern, twentieth century gothic revival constructions.
The first may be known, at least by sight, to many readers as it sits prominently visible along the Tiber river. It is the church of Sacro Cuore del Suffragio built between 1908-1917. Within it is located the Museo della Anime Dei Purgatorio (Museum of the Souls of Purgatory). The church is sometimes referred to as a "little Milan" given its similarity to the Duomo of Milan -- essentially a Roman basilica in exterior shape with a gothic veneer applied.
The other is the church of San Tommaso Moro built in 1921. While it is again modern, this particular church adopts the sort of gothic that one will find in regions like Tuscany or Veneto. It is a kind of classic Italian gothic.
Of course, it is possible there may be some other examples in Rome but certainly nothing of any notable significance in Roman terms. In fact, of these three examples, the only one of any real note is the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It is a basilica that many would not even identify as gothic due to is restrained, Renaissance facade. However, walk within and one finds a gothic gem that is placed within what is otherwise the classically oriented crown of Rome.
