St. MARY IN MONTERONE

S. MARIA IN MONTERONE

Via Monterone 75

Mentioned in the sources for the first time in 1186

Rebuilt in 1682

It was entrusted in 1728 to the Mercedari monks of the Congregation of Holy Mary of Mercy for the ransom of slaves

Restored with the raising of the floor in 1754 maybe by Domenico Gregorini (1692/1777)

Restored again in 1848

The church is located at the center of the area where there was once the STAGNUM AGRIPPAE, an the ancient artificial lake of the Baths of Agrippa

TO THE RIGHT OF THE ENTRANCE

“Tombstone of Giovanni Bazzano” d. 1406 originally embedded in the floor

EIGHT ANCIENT COLUMNS

RIGHT NAVE - ALTAR OF THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

Painting “Assumption” 1830 by Giovanni Gagliardi

AT THE END OF THE RIGHT NAVE - CHAPEL OF St. JOSEPH

Above the altar “Madonna with Child, St. John the Baptist and an Angel” of the end of the seventeenth century

On the right wall “Tomb of Anna Moroni” 1647

TO THE RIGHT OF THE ALTAR

“Memory funeral of John Rinuccini” 1730

MAIN ALTAR

“Sts. Peter Nolasco, Peter Paschasius and two slaves in chains venerating the Virgin Mary and Child” maybe by Pompeo Batoni (1708/87) or of his pupil Gaspare Serenari (1707/59)

TO THE LEFT OF THE ALTAR

“Tomb of Cardinal Stefano Durazzo” 1667, with winged skeleton

AT THE END OF THE LEFT NAVE - CHAPEL OF St. ALPHONSUS MARIA DE' LIGUORI

1848 Pietro Camporese il Giovane (1792/1873)

Above the altar “Stories of St. Alphonsus” 1848, on the right “St. Alphonsus in ecstasy in front of the Virgin Mary” and on the left “St. Alphonsus gives the rule to the Redemptorists” by Donato De Vivo

On the left “Tomb of Vincenzo Campanari” 1858

BUILDING OF THE CONVENT OF S. MARIA IN MONTERONE

To the right of the church

1735 Francesco Bianchi for the brothers Mercedari, with bizarre and interesting decoration on the façade

St. MARY OF THE OAK TREE

S. MARIA DELLA QUERCIA

Piazza della Quercia 27

Original church built in the thirteenth or fourteenth century, known then as S. Niccolò de Curte

Rebuilt in the years 1727/30 by the great Neapolitan architect Filippo Raguzzini (1680/1771)

Completed in 1731 first by an unknown architect maybe Carlo De Dominicis (1696/1758), who had been Raguzzini's assistant, and later by Domenico Gregorini (1692/1777)

Consecrated in 1738

Church of the University of Butchers since 1532 and of the Brotherhood of Butchers since 1800

It was originally facing a small square that enhanced the façade in a much more distinctly theatrical way than the present clearing, connected with Piazza Capodiferro, does now

Radical interior restoration in 1864 by Andrea Busiri Vici (1818/1911) who closed four windows and had Paolo Croppi Lega make some colorful stuccos which covered the shades of gray designed by Raguzzini

Restoration 1960/61 after a long period of neglect

“The four small balconies that frame the altar and the entrance were put in place probably after the master left the direction of the works in 1730. The decoration in polychrome marble is very similar to that of the choirs of the Basilica of S. Bartolomeo in Benevento, definitely the work of Raguzzini. The appearance of the church today is quite different from how it was conceived by the Neapolitan architect who had used mild effects blended with shades of gray on gray, visible today in the church of S. Gallicano in Rome by the same architect” (Maria Rita David Sponzilli)

COUNTER FAÇADE

“Wooden Choir” 1731 by Domenico Gregorini, one of the most beautiful in all of Rome

“Via Crucis” with fourteen paintings by Pietro Barbieri (1684/1730) a pupil of Carlo Maratta and by another anonymous follower of Maratta

DOME

“Litany of Our Lady” and SPANDRELS with “Prophets” 1864 by Guido Molinari

ALTAR ON THE RIGHT

Altarpiece “Baptism of Jesus” beginning of 1700s maybe by Pietro Barbieri or by an anonymous artist of the circle of Marco Benefial

In the lunette “Marriage with Joseph” 1864 by Guido Molinari

UNDER THE RIGHT BALCONY

“Wooden Crucifix” by an anonymous artist of the sixteenth century

MAIN ALTAR

On the altar venerated “Our Lady of the Oak Tree in Viterbo” of the beginning of the seventeenth century

Lunette “Coronation of the Virgin Mary” 1864 by Guido Molinari

Relics of Martyrs Sts. Fermus and Fruttuoso

ALTAR ON THE LEFT

On the altar “Crucifixion” beginning of the eighteenth century by an anonymous artist of the circle of Marco Benefial, maybe Filippo Evangelisti (1684/1761)

Lunette “Presentation in the Temple” 1864 by Guido Molinari

CHAPEL ENTRANCE TO THE LEFT

Statue “St. Joseph migrant” by the contemporary sculptor from Vicenza Gianni Visentin (1938)

SACRISTY

Seventeenth and eighteenth century paintings including “Madonna Enthroned with St. Francis” by an anonymous seventeenth-century artist from the Emilia region

ORATORY OF THE HOLY SACRAMENT

ORATORIO DEL SS. SACRAMENTO

Piazza Poli

1576, rebuilt in about 1724/30 for Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni under Benedict XIII Orsini (1724/30) by the master of the so-called Roman Barocchetto (Roman Little Baroque) Domenico Gregorini (1692/1777) who was also responsible for the reconstruction of the original façade by Carlo Rainaldi (1611/91)

It is allso known as ORATORY OF S. MARIA IN VIA

Statues in the FAÇADE “Faith” and “Hope” by Paolo Benaglia (?/1739)

The INTERIOR decoration dates back to 1875

COUNTER FAÇADE

Splendid eighteenth-century choir

ON THE WALLS

“Angels and Evangelists” 1856/57 by Luigi Martinori (1828/95)

MAIN ALTAR

1842 by Luigi Valadier (1726/85) with relics of Sts. Cyriac, Ilaria and Lea as well as shreds of the Virgin Mary's veil and of St. Joseph's robe

Above the altar “Holy Family” 1729 by Francesco Trevisani (1656/1746) from the Istria peninsula

On either side, “David” and “Aaron” 1854/55 by Pietro Gagliardi (1809/90)

The oratory was given to tour operators as their worship place in Rome since 1969

BASILICA OF THE HOLY CROSS IN JERUSALEM

BASILICA S. CROCE IN GERUSALEMME

Piazza S. Croce in Gerusalemme 12

In the area there was an imperial villa built in about 230 with amphitheater for gladiators fights and circus for horse racing

In the early fourth century the so called PALATIUM SESSORIANUM was the private residence of the Empress Helena, mother of Constantine (306/337), who probably turned a large hall of the building into a church

A few decades later it was transformed into a Basilica, Eleniana or Sessoriana

It was transformed in 1145 by Lucius II (1144/45) who added the bell tower and it was modified again in the fifteenth and sixteenth century

The last modifications in 1743/44 were designed by the Roman architect Domenico Gregorini (1692/1777), a student of Filippo Juvarra, for Benedict XIV Lambertini (1740/58): he modified the aisle and created the masterpiece of elliptic atrium and façade

"The authorship of the façade that Melchiorre Passalacqua gives to the father Pietro, a grandson of Juvarra, finds no confirmation in the documents showing the name of Gregorini only" (Elizabeth Kieven)

"The façade unfolds as a corrugated screen, following the inflection of the singular elliptic inner vestibule, transparent structure that faces the walkway with a series of openings alternating lintels and arches, illuminated by guided lights influenced by Juvarra" (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)

FLOOR

Cosmatesque, from the twelfth century

At both sides of the entrance of the "Marble holy water fonts" end of fifteenth century

CEILING

"Virgin introduces St. Helena and Constantine to the Trinity" 1744 by Corrado Giaquinto (1703/66) very elegant architect from Apulia Region, artistically educated in Naples

"He represents one of the most interesting personalities of the Rococo style. He is distinguished by a precious approach, full of subtleties in form and refined seemingly changing colors" (Carlo Bertelli, Giuliano Briganti, Antonio Giuliano)

RIGHT NAVE

2nd CHAPEL ON THE RIGHT

"St. Bernardo humiliates the antipope Victor IV in front of Innocent II (1130/43)" 1660/65 by Carlo Maratta (1625/1713)

3rd CHAPEL ON THE RIGHT

"Vision of St. Robert's mother" by Raffaello Vanni (1587/1673) from Siena

PRESBYTERY

"Ciborium" of the eighteenth century by Domenico Gregorini

"The genial torsion of the frames is among the greatest inventions of the late Baroque period and it underscores its persistent vitality" (Paolo Portoghesi)

Urn under the altar with the bodies of Sts. Cesareo and Anastasio

In the VAULT

"Appearance of the Cross" about 1744 by Corrado Giaquinto

APSE

"Tomb of Cardinal Francis Quinones" 1536 Jacopo Tatti aka Jacopo Sansovino (1486/1570) and on the "Tabernacle" in marble and bronze with statues "David" (right), "Solomon" (left) and "Angels" by Carlo Maderno (1556/1629)

"Monument of Cardinal Carvajal" 1523

Frescoes on the sides "Stories of Moses" 1749/51 by Corrado Giaquinto

In the SEMI-DOME

"Invention of the Holy Cross by St. Helena and its recovery by Heraclius" and above "Christ blessing between cherubims" about 1492 maybe by Antonio Aquili aka Antoniazzo Romano (1452/1508)

LEFT NAVE

3rd CHAPEL ON THE LEFT

"St. Sylvester and Constantine" 1675 by Luigi Garzi (1638/1721)

1st CHAPEL ON THE LEFT

"Incredulity of St. Thomas" about 1675 by Giuseppe Passeri (1654/1714)

CHAPEL OF St. HELENA

In the vault wonderful mosaic "Jesus, Evangelists, four stories of the Cross, Saints and Symbols of the Passion" remake (maybe about 1484) maybe by Melozzo Ambrosi aka Melozzo from Forlì (1438/94) or (maybe about 1510) by Baldassarre Peruzzi (1481/1536) of the lost original from the time of Valentinian III (435/455)

Roman altar statue "Juno" found at Ostia Antica and transformed into St. Helena

Frescoes on the walls painted at the end of sixteenth century by Niccolò Circignani aka Pomarancio (about 1520/98)

Under the floor a few bags of the earth from Mount Calvary were scattered, hence the name of the church in Gerusalemme

The entrance to the chapel is forbidden to women who may enter only once a year: every 20 March, the day of the dedication of the chapel

GREGORIAN CHAPEL

1520, altar with reliefs "Pietà" beginning of seventeenth century

CHAPEL OF THE RELICS

1930 by Florestano Di Fausto (1890/1965)

"Reliquary" by Giuseppe Valadier (1762/1839) containing some of the most precious catholic relics:

Three small pieces of Jesus' Cross

A nail

Part of the Titulus Crucis, the writing INRI written in the Latin, Greek and Hebrew: it actually dates to the eleventh century as it was proved in 2002 with an examination with carbon-14

The sponge that was soaked in vinegar

Two thorns from Christ's crown

Fragments of the grotto of Bethlehem, of the Holy Sepulchre and of the column of flagellation

A finger of St. Thomas

A big piece of the cross of one of the two thieves

MUSEUM

Frescoes that originally decorated the central nave dated approximately to 1150

A Giottesque "Crucifixion"

"Two statuettes of St. Peter and St. Paul" of the fourteenth century

Codes and furnishings

CONVENT

To the right of the basilica. It was founded about 980 by Pope Benedict VII of the Counts of Tusculum (974/983)

It was enlarged in the sixteenth century, in 1743 and in the years 1756/60 by Melchiorre Passalaqua son of Pietro

HALL OF THE SESSORIANA LIBRARY

1724 Sebastiano Cipriani (about 1660/1740) with vault frescoed 1724/27 by Giovanni Paolo Pannini (1691/1765)

"Monument to Benedict XIV" 1743 by Carlo Marchionni (1702/86)