whoknew

I know the Rome experts on this forum can help me find the name of this church. I've googled to no avail and I don't know where else to turn. Neither mr whoknew nor I can recall the name.

Anyway, what we can remember is the main part of the floor has a straight line mosaic laid across that floor on the diagonal and the months of the year (I believe) are the pattern on that mosaic. High up on one wall in the corner is a slit in the wall, so that when the sun hits at a specific time of day during the right season a shaft of light beams down (sort of like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the lost Ark)onto the mosaic. There is also a huge floor to ceiling pipe organ in another nave. Of course neither of us wrote down the information at the time and now that I am finally finishing our notes we can no longer remember the particulars. We came across the church by happenstance and I was "sure" I'd remember the name. The church is at street level, is very plain on the outside (nearly nondescript, no gothic/renaissance)and mr whoknew states there is a McDonald's across the street (I debate this detail).

Does this ring a bell with anyone? Or at least send me to a website that might help?

Thanks for any assistance.

Eloise

There's nothing about the months of the year in this partial description of Santa Maria degli Angeli (I don't remember anything with months either), but the rest sounds like what you might be looking for:

"The floor was laid in the 18th century by Giuseppe Barbieri. On the left side is the Meridian Line, a sundial laid down along the meridian that crosses through Rome, at latitude 15?. At true noon, about 12.15 pm (1.15 pm in summer time), the sun casts its light dead on this line. If you look at the right side of the transept wall, you can see that part of the cornice has been cut away to provide the effect. The markings were made by the astronomer, mathematician, archaeologist, historian and philosopher Francesco Bianchini. Bianchini had been commissioned by Pope Clement XI to make them for the Holy Year of 1700. It took a bit longer; they were completed in 1703 with the assistance of the astronomer G.F. Maraldi."

Santa Maria degli Angeli is built in a part of what were the Baths of Diocletian.

whoknew

Well now...I feel stupid. We had actually ruled this church out, based on mr whoknew's assertion that it had the months of the year, and not a sundial. He's one of those individuals that sounds plausible even when he doesn't know the answer. I remember being fascinated by the huge pipe organ and the paintings, and he was fascinated by the floor. You'd think he'd have remembered it was the Meridian line. (And I still insist there is no McDonald's across the street.)

After finding pictures by a search on Google, this is indeed the church I was looking for. I remember the interesting outside entrance and the ruins. We did not go inside the baths themselves, and this is probably why it did not stick in my memory.

I can now complete my trip report.

Thank you Eloise.

Eloise

Delighted to be able to help.

But I'm afraid we might both owe Mr Whoknew an apology...

I just googled for some images myself and found these:

http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgur...UTF-8%26sa%3DN

(Good grief, I've never seen such a long URL!)

Anyway, some of those figures are quite evidently signs of the zodiac...

whoknew

Sshhh, we won't tell him, especially since he's snoring on the couch. Over dinner we had discussed it some more and he did remember that there were either months or zodiac symbols or "something" because we separated to go look at "our" months (or signs). But then again he could have told me it was the planets and I'd have believed him, he is so believable (or I am so gullible....).

And yes, that is a very long url! Very interesting photos and yes this is what we looked at.

Michael

If ever in Bologna, check out the basilica on the main square. It also has a linear solar calendar on its floor.

ParadiseLost

Sorry whoknew but Mr. whoknew is correct about the Mcdonalds .
This photo was taken in front of the church facing the Piazza http://www.annasromguide.dk/fotosalf...anazionale.jpg
The Mcdonalds is in the groundlevel arcade of the building on the left, in the far left corner (not in photo). Regards, Walter