Rome: Favorite Churches

Old May 21st, 2004, 06:06 AM
  #1  
ChatNoir
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Rome: Favorite Churches

I'd love to hear about your favorite churches in Rome (large and small), why you like them and where they are located or close to.

I've heard Santa Maria della Vittoria is known for Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Teresa. Not sure where its located.
 
Old May 21st, 2004, 06:54 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Santa Maria della Vittoria is on Via XX Settembre at Via Barberini.
Just down Via XX Settembre--two other favorites: San Carlino (at Quattro Fontane) and San Andrea in Qurinale, two jewlbox churches of similar small size but amazingly different feeling.
I love the amazing ceiling at S. Iganazio. Bring plenty of coins to turn on the lights.
ellenem is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 06:55 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sorry, S. Ignazio, which is not far from the Pantheon, aother favorite "church."
ellenem is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 07:02 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I was going to say Saint Ignazio as well. I believe it's off of the Via del Corso, near the Pantheon. As ellenm said, the ceiling is absolutely beautiful.

Also, my husband and I have just finished reading the Dan Brown book "Angels & Demons" and plan on visiting the churches in the novel when we return to Rome in November.
lilygirl is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 07:24 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't know if the average tourist can just walk in off the street, but the La Chiesa della Santa Maria Asunta al monastero dell'Umiltà in the Casa Santa Maria at the Pontifical North American College is spectacular beyond words. It is located on Via Umlita just a couple of blocks from the Trevi Fountain.
jimcolorado is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 07:26 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't know if the average tourist can just walk in off the street, but the La Chiesa della Santa Maria Asunta al monastero dell'Umiltà in the Casa Santa Maria at the Pontifical North American College is spectacular beyond words. It is located on Via Umlita just a couple of blocks from the Trevi Fountain. Checi out this web site for some pictures
http://www.pnac.org/casa/CasaSantaMaria.htm
jimcolorado is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 07:51 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Don't miss San Pietro in Vincoli, to see one of Michelangelo's great masterpieces, the statue of Moses, part of the unfinished tomb of Julius II found on the right front side of the church. The main alter displays the chains supposedly used to imprison St. Peter. If memory serves me right, it is located just of Via Cavour between the main railway terminal and the Colosseum.
dmahalek is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 08:10 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 490
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We found the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi between the Piazza Navona and the Pantheon to be quite beautiful. It contains beatiful work by Caravaggio.
bmillersc is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 08:14 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I also really love Santa Maria della Vittoria and try to get in to visit every trip to Rome (even if it's a simple day trip). I also think that San Pietro in Vincoli is charming (I actually accessed it from the Colosseum, since from Via Cavour we couldn't find an entrance, but it could just be that we were mistaken).

Santa Maria Maggiore is also amazing, one of the four major basilicas in Rome. Last time I was there, my mother noticed that it houses wood from Christ's cradle, which I had never noticed before. It has some incredible mosaics that should not be missed.

Some nice small churches with quite a few treasures are San Luigi dei Francesi, with its paintings by Caravaggio, and another Caravaggio church: Santa Maria del Popolo, in Piazza del Popolo. This has quite a few Renaissance masterpieces, including a sculpture by Bernini that is similar to the one in Santa Maria della Vittoria.

A charming church that we found on my last visit to Rome is San Martino ai Monti, which has an excavated crypt area with a beautiful mosaic and altar. We felt we had really found something here, since we wandered into it without any searching at all (it was just on our way from Santa Maria Maggiore to San Pietro in Vincoli).

Also, I love Santa Maria in Trastevere and its cool, town-like piazza.

jimcolorado: Santa Maria in Asunta sounds wonderful. How were you able to visit?
Jackie_in_Italy is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 08:43 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I plan on visiting several churches while in Rome and will take this post with me. I was wondering if anyone had been to the new Richard Meier designed Jubilee Church on the outskirts of Rome. I know the modern design won't appeal to everyone.

http://www.archnewsnow.com/features/Feature123.htm

Are most churches in Rome open during the week? Does anyone know of an English website that identifies the different churches in Rome? Thanks!
MLnLA is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 09:00 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,614
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Santa Maria sopra Minerve, which contains the relics and remains of my patron saint, and is the only Gothic church in Rome.

http://www.initaly.com/regions/latium/church/smsm.htm

Santa Maria in Aracoli, which is lit by candlelight and by nature.

http://www.initaly.com/regions/latiu...h/aracoeli.htm

San Carlo al Corso, where I'll usually attend Mass and pray and light candles for personal reasons while in Roma.

http://roma.katolsk.no/carlocorso.htm

and San Giovanni in Laterno, with marvelous sculptures, postings about holy indulgences inside, and one of the coolest post-fire restorations you'll ever see. The Pope is often referred to as "The Bishop of Rome", and this is considered the Cathedral where he presides.

http://roma.katolsk.no/giovannilaterano.htm

Buon Viaggio!

BC

bookchick is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 09:01 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,325
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Here is a great website of Roman churches: http://roma.katolsk.no/
Churches have widely varying opening hours. Many churches are closed indefinitely for restoration. Some small churches are only open for Sunday Mass or on one other day of the week. Some are only open once a year on special feast days. The four basilicas are usually open all day. Most other churches that are visited by tourists are open from either 7 or 8 am until 12 or 1 pm and then open again at 3, 4, or 5 pm for a couple of hours. I love every church in Rome, large or small but I think my favorite is Santa Cecilia in Trastevere.
Grinisa is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 09:05 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Jackie
Our Catholic bishop here in Colorado wrote us a letter of recommendation for "special seating" at the Papal audience on Wednesday when we were in Rome. American vistor's to Rome can pick up tickets (special seating and nor so special) at the American college. When we arrived, the Monsignor asked if would like a short tour of the facility. Like many places in Rome, the front door was intercom and electically controlled, so...my earlier comment about "walk-ins." I seemed to remember the Monsignor telling us that the chapel had once been used as a stable by some invading army, possible Napoleon, but now I am not so sure.

BTW the "special seating" was really quite special. We were seated in the section on the same level as the Holy Father, and just to his left. We got there early enough that morning to be in the very front row. It was incredible! While we were being directed to the front steps, my wife kept muttering, "This has to be a mistake, we can't be seated this close, We're going to get thrown out." The best moment was when the Pope rode around in front of us in the Popemobile. Not a dry eye anywhere. I ended up supporting a little old Italian lady who was overcome with emotion. I will never forget a minute of it.
jimcolorado is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 10:46 AM
  #14  
ChatNoir
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Thank you all for sharing with me. I'm going to include several on my next trip.
 
Old May 21st, 2004, 11:15 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have to agree with Jackie. I am very partial to the area around San Martino ai Monti. I love that church and the neighborhood. You can go to San Pietro in Vincoli, then up to San Martino ai Monti, then through the back streets to Santa Prassede with gorgeous mosaics and a pillar of Christ on which he was scourged (5 minutes from San Martino crossing via Giovanni Lanza). And since this church is off the beaten path, I have never seen many tourists (if any) in it. Then you can walk to Santa Maria Maggiore (which is closed usually from about 12:30-3:30pm and then reopens from about 4-6pm or 7pm, I can't remember).

Some others I love posted by Fodorites: definitely I would recommend Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, then walk down to Santa Susanna (the American Roman Catholic church in Rome) which has lovely frescoes as well. Sant'Andrea is circular and very baroque -- it's beautiful. Then next to Santa Susanna go to Santa Maria della Vittoria for the renowned Cornaro chapel.

After that, I'd walk towards the Trinita del Monte, look around, then down the Spanish Steps, down via del Babuino to your right at the bottom and into Piazza del Popolo to Santa Maria del Popolo for the Cerasi chapel and the 2 Caravaggios on either side of the Assumption by one of the Caracci brothers. You can walk from San Pietro in Vincoli to Santa Maria del Popolo and visit all the churches I mentioned in that order and see a lot of Rome already!

Another nice church: Santa Maria in Aracoeli (pronounced AH-RAH-CHELL-EE)next to the Vittorio Emmanuele II monument (make sure the large sign at the top of the staircase reads "APERTO" before walking up!). This church has about 13 chapels and it is marvelous. Pinturrichio painted the Life of Saint Bernard frescoes in one of the chapels but the chapel may be closed to visitors but you can still strain a good view of it through the locked gate, followed by Il Gesu (the Jesuits' mother church with its recently cleaned interior, total in-your-face baroque exuberance (check out St. Ignatius of Loyola's tomb) and the chapel dedicated to the Madonna next to it on the right), then go down Corso Vittorio Emmanuele II into Sant'Andrea della Valle with its exquisite frescoes of the Martyrdom of Saint Andrew, then cross the corso, go to Saint Louis des Francais (a 5-minute walk from Sant'Andrea della Valle) -- watch out for the gypsy beggar/pickpockets outside and admire the Contarelli chapel of St. Matthew that made Caravaggio so famous (bring coins for the light box). I do not remember which day Saint Louis des Francais is closed to the public; I believe it is Thursdays but am not certain. YOu will then have seen some beautiful churches, truly.

If there is time after Saint Louis des Francais, then wing over to the Pantheon because next door is Santa Maria sopra Minerva: check out the Carafa chapel with the frescoes of the Virgin by Pinturrichio (standing in front of the high altar, first chapel to your right -- bring some coins for the light box), cross over the high altar to view Saint Catherine of Siena's tomb (she is one of the patron saints of Italy). To its left is a statue of Saint John the Baptist by Michelangelo. Further to the left facing the high altar is a little stairwell with Fra Angelico's tomb to the left. Notice the very ornate blue ceiling of Santa Maria with gold stars.

One more tip: do try to get to San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John Lateran), the first Catholic church in the world and mother of all Christian churches. There are a lot less tourists here than at the Vatican and you will be no less impressed at the artwork and beauty of the church, an ancient home of a Roman family Emperor Constantine had turned out of their house when he converted to Christianity.

Lastly, if you are in Trastevere, check out Santa Maria in Trastevere and look up San Francesco a Ripa with its famous Bernini statue of Blessed Ludovica Albertoni -- a lot of tourists don't know about this church. It is lovely.

Just be sure to get opening times for the Roman churches: most are closed from around 12-4pm or so (except the pontifical basilicas of St. Peter's, St. John Lateran, St. Paul outside the Walls and Santa Maria Maggiore) -- caveat: Santa Maria Maggiore is closed from about 12-3pm which I don't understand since it's a pontifical basilica. Have a great trip! Lucky you.
EyeSpyEurope is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 11:39 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I saw Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Teresa, in Santa Maria della Vittoria, mentioned in a guidebook on my first visit to Rome and really liked it.

Three other favorites of mine are the same three ellenem mentioned. The trompe l'oeil dome in Sant' Ignazio is fascinating,

http://roma.katolsk.no/ignazio.htm

and San Carlino and San Andrea in Qurinale, the two small churches on Via del Quirinale -- across the street from the Quirinale Palace and separated by a nice park -- are interesting not only because they're beautiful, but because the were designed by competing architects; Borromini (who also did St Agnese in Piazza Navona) and Bernini (who did the fountain across from St Agnese.) John J. McGuire, Jr., in his excellent (and, I believe, out-of-print book) An Architect's Rome refers to Via del Quirinale as "the street of dueling churches" for this reason.

San Carlino: http://w1.131.comhem.se/~u13117202/scarlino2.htm

Another church I liked was Sant'Andrea delle Valle, just about a block south of Piazza Navona, because the gold lettering around the top of the church was stunning in the late afternoon sun.

http://roma.katolsk.no/andreavalle.htm

capo is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 12:02 PM
  #17  
KT
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A couple more that I like for their mosiacs:

Santa Prassede -- Very near Santa Maria Maggiore; 9th century mosaics including the Chapel of S. Zeno.

Santa Costanza -- Out on the Via Nomentana, next to the Baslica of S. Agnese, which has visitable catacombs; lovely 4th century mosaics in the dome that are early enough to still resemble classical Roman mosaics.

I have a long (mental) list of Roman churches that I like for at least one thing, but I'll stop there for now.
KT is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 12:12 PM
  #18  
KT
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My mistake -- I see that Santa Prassede has already been mentioned. So I'll throw in this quirky one: Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza. It's just about never open to the public, because it's part of the University of Rome, but if you're in the neighborhood (it's just east of Piazza Navona), you can peek at the Borromini courtyard in front of it and see the amazing Borromini lantern atop the dome.
KT is offline  
Old May 21st, 2004, 02:39 PM
  #19  
ChatNoir
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Wow! This is a super response. Please keep them coming.

Grinisa - that website you recommended is a wonderful planning tool.

http://roma.katolsk.no/
 
Old May 21st, 2004, 04:01 PM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 451
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I must second Santa Maria sopra Minerve, which Book Chick mentioned !

this was my 4th trip to rome, but only my first to this amazingly lovely church. I loved it so much I returned the next day towing my children behind me.

The blues of the ceilings are astounding, and if you have a choice of time to go, make it later in the day.
I went in around 7pm ,before dusk.
and the lighting was so lovely.
It is so easy to find as it is basically next door to the Pantheon.

The outside of it is so plain I did not know what it was at first.
But the little Bernini elephant will let you know you are there.

there is a statue of Christ inside attributed to Michaelangelo.The loin cloth was added later.

I think every church I have entered is lovely, but this is a favorite of mine.
nanb is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -