St. THOMAS AI CENCI

S. TOMMASO AI CENCI
Piazza delle Cinque Scole

It appears for the first time in the sources on the year 1114 in the MONTE CENCI area as mentioned in a plaque embedded in a wall in the atrium

Second consecration in 1240, maybe after a restoration

It was known as In Capite Molarum for the nearby mills (molendinis in Latin) along the River Tiber or In Mercatello for the square where the market was held weekly

It was built on the site of the TEMPLE OF CASTOR AND POLLUX, where the two huge statues of Castor and Pollux with horses were found and moved in 1585 on the Capitoline Hill

It was restored in the years 1559/75 for the Cenci family (Rocco Cenci, his nephew Christopher and the latter's son Francis, who in turn was the father and rapist of Beatrice Cenci) who had the patronage since 1554

“The origins of the Cenci family, despite the claims of two thousand years of antiquity, date back reliably to the mid-fourteenth century (...). They were engaged in commercial activities and were in close relationship with the Roman aristocracy. Since this period, progressive acquisitions of properties in the area by members of the family lead to the establishment of an actual fortress, with towers, residential wings and services for common use - a balneum (bathing complex), an oven, a loggia, slaughterhouses and warehouses - the center of which was the church of St. Thomas” (Angela Catalano)

Restored in 1881
It belongs to the Brotherhood of the coachmen

COUNTER FAÇADE
Lunette “Christ and the Samaritan Woman at the Well” and “Two Evangelists” by an anonymous artist of the end of 1500s just like the other two on either side of the main altar

On the right “Banner with Enthroned Virgin Mary and Child (back) and Our Lady of Sorrows between angels with symbols of the Passion (front)” by an anonymous artist of the beginning of the 1700s

1^st RIGHT - CHAPEL OF THE CROSS
“Wooden crucifix” 1700

MAIN ALTAR
The altar is supported by “Two trapezophori with lions’ feet in white marble”
Round panel in turquoise murra, a very rare marble
Baptismal font resting on “Triangular base with dolphins and acanthus leaves” both of the Augustan period (27 AC/14 BC), and probably found in the area
Tabernacle and balustrade 1626
Altarpiece “Incredulity of St. Thomas” 1612 by Giuseppe Vermiglio (1585/1635), the only authentic work of this painter from Piedmont influenced by Caravaggio

2^nd LEFT - CHAPEL OF St. FRANCIS
Vault “Stories of St. Francis” in 1612 by a late Mannerist anonymous artist influenced by Cavalier d’Arpino
Altarpiece “St. Francis praying in front of the crucifix” by an unknown artist of the end of 1500s

1^st LEFT - CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF THE BAR
Cenci family patronage since 1453
Above the altar “Nativity of Jesus”, on the left “Nativity of the Virgin Mary” and on the right “Annunciation” 1565 by Girolamo Siciolante da Sermoneta (1521/80) a pupil of Perin del Vaga for Valerio Cenci
On the pilasters “Prophets” and on the vault “Stories from the life of St. Joachim” by Sermoneta with assistants

SACRISTY
“Cinerary urn” of the first century BC used as a water reservoir

PALACE OF THE BANNER

PALAZZO DEL GONFALONE

Via del Gonfalone 29

1827 Giuseppe Valadier (1762/1839) for Leo XII Sermattei (1823/29) as PRISON for young minors who were confined in forty cells

It was no longer used as a prison since 1854 for its limited capacity and the young prisoners were transferred to the former Monastery of S. Balbina

Museo Criminologico

Museum of Criminality

Open since 1975

Renovated in 1994 after fifteen years of closure

On display there are tools with which crimes were carried out and also instruments of pain and torture, including:

Infamous “Iron Maiden”

“Coat of Mastro Titta” the notorious Roman executioner

“Guillotine of Castel Sant'Angelo” used for the first time in 1810 during the Napoleonic domination. Only in the first three years it cut as many as 56 heads. It was also used by the Papal State from 1816. The last execution by guillotine at the behest of the Pope took place in 1870 in Palestrina

“Axe for decapitation” found near Castel Sant'Angelo

“Sword of Justice” probably the one that beheaded the poor Beatrice Cenci in 1599

Bodies of evidence of some famous robberies in Italy after World War Two

Macabre skeleton of a woman of about 30 years of age, who lived in the sixteenth century, found in 1933 in a cell tower in Poggio Catino in the province of Rieti. The identity of the woman is unknown but she was bound hand and foot and probably died of starvation

“Brain and skull of Giovanni Passannante” author in 1878 of a failed assassination attempt on the King of Italy Umberto I

“Cage of Milazzo” found in 1928 in the castle of Milazzo in Sicily with skeleton probably of the British soldier Andrew Leonard of 25 years of age. In 1806, during the Napoleonic wars, he was probably condemned for desertion to the cutting of hands and feet and he was exhibited in the cage

“Objects which belonged to the bandit Giuliano” killed in Sicily in 1950

CENCI BOLOGNETTI PALACE ON PIAZZA DELLE CINQUE SCOLE

PALAZZO CENCI BOLOGNETTI IN PIAZZA DELLE CINQUE SCOLE

Piazza delle Cinque Scole 23

Several different buildings unified in 1570/85 for Francesco Cenci, the father of the infamous Beatrice Cenci

The relief of the land consists of ancient Roman ruins including perhaps those of the Temple of Castor and Pollux, or more likely of the AMPHITHEATER OF STATILIUS TAURUS, built in 29 BC, the first in Rome in bricks, eventually destroyed by the fire of Nero in 64 AD

Despite their claims of antiquity dating back two thousand years, the Cenci family reliably dates back to mid-1300s