moo

Going back to Rome, for about the 10th time (yay)! We've done all of the major tourist things and for the past few trips have chosen experiences that one gets to after the major tourist things are checked off the list. We are looking for off-the-beaten-track churches that house art work from famous artists. Went to a few near Piazza Navona this spring but headed back again this fall with some newbies (who will go to major tourist sites but we'd like to mix in some less crowded experiences as well) and would like to find art in off the beaten track churches. Please share your knowledge.

geetika

Following, we will be in Rome for the nth time Thanksgiving week when we just want to walk around and enjoy the sights and sounds of the city.

Just off Piazza Navona is the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, with three magnificent Caravaggios depicting the life of St Mathew. The nearby Basilica of St Augustine at Campo Marzio boasts another Caravaggio, the Madonna of Loreto. Both these churches are old favourites I always make time for.

Another favourite is the Scavi underground tour at the Vatican, I highly recommend this if you haven’t been. Limited slots available, you need to email the Excavations Office with your request. They’re obviously not so busy in November as I received a confirmation for my request within a day.

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Excavations Office

Traveler_Nick

I'm kind of confused by off the beaten track. I'd expect anything like that to be in the touristy centre. Not exactly off the track.

If you mean places tourists don't go most don't even hit the four papal basilicas. At most they hit St. Peter's

mama_mia

Santa Prassede (Praxedes). A small church near the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the major papal basilicas. Santa Maria Maggiore is definitely worth a visit for its mosaic program and other treasures. But Santa Prassede's 9th century mosaics, with the smaller scale of the church, are utterly charming.

Basicilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Cecilia was an early martyr who just would not die. They tried boiling her without success but in the end chopped off her head. In the late 16th century, her "incorrupt" body was unearthed during work on the church and a statue was made (by Stefano Maderno), supposedly depicting her body as it was found. It is one of my favorite works of art in Rome. There is also a beautiful fresco in the nun's choir by Cavallini that was ahead of its time (medieval) in depicting depth through the use of color gradations. There is a crypt and chapel with an altar from around 1000 AD and also evidence of a Roman home underground.

Basilica of San Clemente and Basicila of Santa Maria in Trastevere. These are major churches, so they may already be known to you, But definitely worth a visit. San Clemente for its layers and Santa Maria for its mosaics (12th century, I think).

San Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in Chains). Contains the chains from Peter's final imprisonment and Michelangelo's Moses.

If you are really ambitious, you could combine Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Prassede, San Clemente, stop for lunch, and then head to San Pietro. At that point, you are not too far from Saint John Lateran, another major papal basilica. But you would have to be a real glutton for punishment to try that.

mama_mia

If you are a fan of Caravaggio, you should visit Santa Maria del Popolo. Two paintings: Conversion of Saint Paul and Crucifixion of Saint Peter. Also the Chigi Chapel.

In Trastevere (where Santa Cecilia is), you can also check out the chruch of San Francesco a Ripa. There is a Bernini statue (Blessed Ludivica Albertoni) that makes a nice contrast to the more restrained Maderno statue in Santa Cecilia.

progol

You’ve gotten a lot of wonderful suggestions. I just want to add the Santa Maria Della Vittoria, with Bernini’s breathtaking sculpture, the Ecstasy of St.Teresa.