CHURCHES AND BASILICAS
Coop. IL SOGNO - Viale R. Margherita, 192 - 00198-Rome(Italy)- Ph.+39/0685301758 Fax +39/0685301756 -Email:ilsogno@romeguide.it
CHIESA ANGLICANA - EPISCOPALE DI SAN PAOLO ENTRO LE MURA
St. Paul's Within the Walls American Episcopal Church was built in 1873, the first non Roman Catholic Church to be built within the walls of Rome. It was designed by the English architect George Edmund Street, and contains the splendid mosaics by Sir Edward Burne - Jones and George Breck. The Italian government has declared the church to be a monument of historic and artistic interest. Along with Roman and Etruscan sculptures, the church and gardens contain works by the American sculptor Peter Rockwell.
BASILICA DI SAN GIUSEPPE AL TRIONFALE
Built between 1902 and 1905 by Carlo Busiri Vici, this church recalls the tradition on Romanesque churches in both its façade with rose window and its interior with neo-Cosmatesque polychrome marbles.Foto
BASILICA DEL SACRO CUORE DI CRISTO RE
This church, in the "delle Vittorie" district, contains the work of important Italian artists of the early 20th c. Its distinct volumes are the result of the design by Marcello Piacentini (1931), while the statue over the portal of Christ the King (1933) is the work of Arturo Martini. Inside there are frescoes by Achille Funi.
Founded in 1943 to celebrate the twenty-five years of Pius XII's episcopacy, this church contains a monumental "Way of the Cross" with bronze statues by Giacomo Manzù, Attilio Torresani, Alfredo Biagini, and Antonio Berti.
BASILICA DI SANTA TERESA D'AVILA FUORI PORTA SALARIA
Begun in 1901 after a design by Tullio Passarelli of
clearly neo-medieval inspiration, this church combines
Romanesque and Gothic elements. The façade is preceded
by a porch and has a marble-tracery rose window.
BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA IN MONTE SANTO
This is one of the two "twin" churches designed in 1662 by Carlo Rainaldi, with the aid of Bernini and Fontana, which form the theatrical backdrop of the convergence of the so-called Trident toward Piazza del Popolo. On an elliptical plan with a dodecagonal dome, it has rich chapels with works by Carlo Masatta, Bacicco, and Seiter.Photo
BASILICA DI SAN CAMILLO DE' LELLIS
Built between 1906 and 1910 by architect Tullio Passarelli in neo-Romanesque style.
BASILICA DEI SANTI AMBROGIO E CARLO AL CORSO
Built by Longhi starting in 1612 for the Lombards residing in Rome, this church stands out for its fine cupola, a lovely invention by Pietro da Cortona (1668). The interior is enriched by Baroque artwork: stuccoes, frescoes, statues, and paintings by Carlo Maratta and Pier Francesco Mola.Photo
BASILICA DEI SAN LORENZO IN LUCINA
Remaing of the original 12th c. medieval basilica are the lovely portico with granite columns, campanile and, inside, the Cosmatesque altar frontal and chair of Paschal II. The 17th c. trasformation produced the Fonseca Chapel by Bernini in 1660 and "Crucifix" by Guido Reni.Photo
BASILICA DI SANT'ANDREA DELLE FRATTE
This church is characterized by the alternating concave and convex surfaces of the tall cupola, left unfinished, and the unique campanile, with a square plan and on several levels, both conceived by Borromini. The interior contains and altar by Luigi Vanvitelli and Giuseppe Valadier. Beside it stands the 16th c. closter.Photo
BASILICA DEL SACRO CUORE DI GESU' A CASTRO PRETORIO
This church was built by the architect Vespignani for St. John Bosco in 1879.
BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA IN VIA LATA
Rebuilt in the form of a basilica in 1491, this church is famous for its façade by Pietro da Cortona (1658-62). Its interior contains a precious tabernacle in alabaster and lapis lazuli and an icon of the Virgin Advocate (12th c.). The atrium leads to rooms from the Roman age which served as an oratory in the 5th c.Photo
Rebuilt completely in 1741 by Ferninando Fuga, this church has a vestibule decorated with marble and the façade opened by a window with balcony. In the crypt are relics coming from the Roman catacombs.
BASILICA DI SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA DEI FIORENTINI
Granted in 1519 by Pope Leo X to the Florentines residing in Rome, the building was built after a design by Jacopo Sansovino. Maderno designed the tall, elongated cupola. The interior contains the tombs of Maderno and Francesco Borromini, who designed the magnificent Baroque altar.Photo
BASILICA DI SANT'EUSTACHIO IN CAMPO MARZIO
Erected on the site of the martyrdom of St. Eustace and his family, this church was devastated by a flooding of the Tiber in 1598. It was rebuilt in late Baroque style between the 17th and 18th c. with richly decorated chapels.
BASILICA DEI SANTI XII APOSTOLI
An 18th c. rebuilding of the 6th c. paleochristian basilica has a neoclassical façade preceded by a Renaissance portico with the Volpato funeral monument by Canova (1807), while the interior, characterized by numerous sepulchral monuments, stands out for its vault frescoed with extraordinary dynamism by Baciccio (1707).
BASILICA DEI SANTI VITALE E COMPAGNI MARTIRI IN FOVEA
The façade, restored in this century (1937-38), shows a rare early Christian style with five arches, later walled in, around the arches of the doorway, and is that which remains of the ancient building founded in the 5th c. to hold the rilecs of Sts Gervase and Protase and their father Vitalis.
BASILICA DI SANTA PUDENZIANA AL VIMINALE
Standing, according to tradition, over the house of the Roman senator Pudens, has an elegant 6th c. doorway with medieval frieze and, in the apse, fine 4th c. mosaics. Connected to it is the Oratorium Marianum, completely adorned with 11th c. frescoes depicting the legends of the martyrs.
BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA SOPRA MINERVA
Built over a temple dedicated to Minerva, the church was rebuilt in the Gothic style, an extremely rare example in Rome, in 1280. Later it was enriched with Renaissance (paintings by Melozzo da Forlì, Antoniazzo Romano, and frescoes by Filippo Lippi in the Carafa Chapel) and Baroque works (funeral monuments by Bernini). It also contains splendid Cosmatesque tombs (13th c.) and the tombs of St. catherine of Siena and Fra Angelico.Photo
BASILICA DI SAN LORENZO IN DAMASO
Incorporated into the Palazzo della Cancelleria, this was demolished in 1495 and rebuilt after a Renaissance plan, perhaps by Bramante. The Baroque works in the presbytery (Bernini) and the Chapel of the Holy Conception (built by Pietro da Cortona to hold the 12th c. so-called Virgin of Grottapinta) do not alter the purist lines of Vespignani's restoration (1862-1882). There are also funeral monuments by the neoclassical sculptor Pietro Tenerani.
BASILICA DI SANT'ANDREA DELLA VALLE
Begun in 1591, this church is characterized by the magnificent cupola raised by Carlo Maderno in 1622, which is the tallest in Rome after that of St. Peter's. The interior has, in the dome, the spectacular vision of the"Glory of Paradise" by G. Lanfranco (17th c.).
BASILICA DI SAN MARCO EVANGELISTA AL CAMPIDOGLIO
Renovated in the Renaissance style by Paul II in the 15th c., this church was later trasformed between the 17th and 18th c. It preserves its solemn façade of classical inspiration and, inside, the important 9th c. mosaic of the apse.
BASILICA DI SANTA PRASSEDE ALL'ESQUILINO
Preceded by an 11th c. doorway, with ancient capitals, this church preserves, in spite of Renaissance work, interesting remnants of the time of Paschal I: the façade, the mosaics of the apse, and the famous Chapel of St. Zeno, the most important Byzantine monument in Rome.
BASILICA DEI SANTI SILVESTRO E MARTINO AI MONTI
Founded by Pope Sylvester in the 5th c., this church was completely restored in 1636. the interior is decorated with wooden ceilings and 17th c. frescoes by landscape painter Dughet. The Baroque crypt leads to the ancient early Christian Place of worship created from the Baths of Trajan
BASILICA DEI SANTI COSMA E DAMIANO IN VIA SACRA
This is the result of the union, carried out in the 4th c., of two pagan buildings: the library of the Forum of Peace and the hall of the Temple of Romulus. Transformed during the Baroque period, it is characterized by the apse totally covered with precious 6th c. mosaics.
BASILICA DI SAN BARTOLOMEO ALL'ISOLA
Standing over the ruins of the temple of Aesculapius, this church has the image of the "Madonna with Child" which miraculously escaped the flooding of the Tiber of 1557. In the presbytery can be seen the weel-curb decorated by the Vassalletti.
BASILICA DI SAN NICOLA IN CARCERE
This interesting building is the result of the combination of three temples of the Forum Holitorum. In 1808 the restoration work by the architect Valadier brought to light the staircase and altar of the Temple of Juno of the external façade. The interior, with Roman columns and paleochristian capitals, has Renaissance paintings.
Known as S. Francesca Romana, this church was completely restructured in 1216 by Honorius III. Over the high altar is the 12th c. panel of the "Madonna and Child", while in the sacristy is kept the "Madonna Glycophilusa" icon (5th c.).
BASILICA DI SANT'ANTONIO DA PADOVA IN VIA MERULANA
An imposing edifice built by the architect Luca Carimini in 1891.
Modernized in 1620 by Cardinal Borghese, this church preserves from the previous 13th c. basilica the granite columns, polychrime marble pavements, precious tabernacle, and apse mosaic. Of interest are the remains of the 5th c. lower church.Photo
BASILICA DI SANTA CECILIA IN TRASTEVERE
Built by Paschal I where St. Cecilia awaited her martyrdom, this church has a tabernacle by Arnolfo di Cambio (1293), a statue of "St. Cecilia" by Maderno, and 9th c. mosaics in the apse. The marvelous "Last Judgement" by Pietro Cavallini, 13th c., is now in the near convent.Photo
BASILICA DI SANT'ANASTASIA AL PALATINO
Built in the 5th c. over the remains of the house of Roman matron Anastasia, this church has ancient columns and 18th c. paintings.
Revision and updating by Alessandra Pignotti.