Maybe built
in the seventh century. Mentioned in the sources for the first time in the
ninth century
Renovated
in 1128 at the time of Honorius II (1124/30) as evidenced by the plaque at the
top of the right nave. Dating back to the same period are the frescoes with “Baptism
of Christ”, “Prophets” and “Decorative motifs with plants and animals” detached
in 1853 and now in the Vatican Museums
Restored in
1733 with the remake of roof and floor and with the construction of the
sacristy
Restored in
the years 1846/65 with a new restoration of the roof and the opening of four
windows on each side of the nave and two in the transept
It was
isolated from adjacent buildings in 1932
The
church's name probably derives from an early medieval prison not existing
anymore that had to be nearby
On every
6th of December, on the occasion of the feast of St. Nicholas, here the loaves
of bread of St. Nicholas were donated to the faithful
Regional Church of Puglia and Lucania regions
FAÇADE
1599 Giacomo Della
Porta (1533/1602) for Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini, restored in 1733,
and finally in 1808 by Giuseppe Valadier
(1762/1839)
In the
reliefs “Eight-pointed stars” symbol of the Aldobrandini family. On the right “Martyrs
Mark and Marcellianus”, on the left “St. Nicholas”
BELL TOWER
Probable
rest of the fortifications of the Pierleoni family, with bells cast in 1286 by Guidotto Pisano
MAIN NAVE
Ten panels
with “Stories of St. Nicholas” 1865/66 by Guido Guidi
(1867/1911)
“This was
Guido Guidi's first public commission. He was a minor exponent of the Eclectic
Roman group of artists lead by Francesco Podesti and Pietro Gagliardi, after
the teachings of Purism by Tommaso Minardi” (Angela Catalano)
BEGINNING
OF THE RIGHT NAVE
Copy of the
“Holy Trinity” by Guercino (in S.
Maria della Vittoria) by Constantino
Brumidi (1805/80) who maybe also executed the copy of the “Assumption of
the Virgin Mary” by Annibale Carracci from the original (in S. Maria del Popolo) in the
chapel of the left nave
Constantino
Brumidi eventually ended up in Washington where he painted the Capitol for
twenty five years
ON THE WALL
OF THE RIGHT NAVE
Painting “Madonna
and Child” about 1470 by Antonio Aquili aka Antoniazzo
Romano (about 1435-40/1508). Some date it to 1486, when an altar was
consecrated in the left nave, where perhaps it was originally placed
RIGHT
TRANSEPT
“Tomb of
Cardinal G.B. Rezzonico” nephew of Clement XIII Rezzonico (1758/69) by the
Irish Christopher Hewetson (about 1739/1797)
AT THE END
OF THE RIGHT TRANSEPT - CHAPEL OF THE ROSARY
Frescoes
inspired by the Eucharist by Giovanni Baglione (1566/1643),
the only remnant of the paintings that were in the church at the end of the
sixteenth century
APSE
On the
basin “Glorification of Christ between the Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas with
Triumphant Church in heaven and with Militant Church on earth”, on the
hemicycle in the bottom part “St. Nicholas at the Council of Nicaea in 325
hurls anathemas against Arius” by Vincenzo Pasqualoni
(1819/80) a pupil of Tommaso Minardi, like Guido Guidi
Painting “St.
Nicholas between angels and the three children he resurrected” by an anonymous eighteenth-century artist
MAIN ALTAR
“Urn in
green porphyry” about IV/V d.C. from the crypt
“Four
angels in bronze holding the altar” by Antonio Della Bitta
(1807/about 1879) who also sculpted the famous statue
of Neptune in the homonymous fountain that decorates the north of
Piazza Navona
TRIUMPHANT
ARCH
On the
sides “Angels with the symbols of the episcopate and of St. Nicholas” by Guido Guidi
LEFT TRANSEPT
Above the
altar “Ascension of Jesus” 1505/06 by Lorenzo Costa
(1460/1535)
Lorenzo
Costa was one of the most important artists of the schools of Ferrara and
Mantua in the sixteenth century. The work was painted for the church of S.
Maria Mascarella in Bologna and it was badly cut to fit this altar
CHAPEL IN
THE LEFT TRANSEPT - CHAPEL OF THE CROSS
On the
altar “Wooden crucifix painted” of the sixteenth century
On the left
wall painting “St. Nicholas between Christ and the Virgin Mary” by an unknown nineteenth-century artist
LEFT NAVE -
CHAPEL OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
On the
altar “Our Lady of Guadalupe” by an anonymous artist,
brought from Mexico in 1773 by Jesuit missionaries
Frescoes
with “Angels”, “Prophets”, “Annunciation” and “Coronation of the Virgin Mary”
1862 by Luigi Martinori (1828/95)
On the left
copy of the “Assumption of the Virgin Mary” maybe by Constantino
Brumidi from the original by Annibale
Carracci in S. Maria del Popolo
On the
right “Annunciation” by an unknown seventeenth-century artist of Tuscan culture
SACRISTY
In the
entrance canvas “Immaculate Conception” maybe by Guido
Guidi (1867/1911)
“Eighteenth-century
wooden crucifix”
Copy
painted in 1850 of the “Ecstasy of St. Francis” by Domenichino from the
original in the church of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Three Temples under St. Nicholas in Prison
To the right of the church
TEMPLE OF JANUS (maybe)
264/241 BC
Caius Duilius during the First Punic War
Restored in
the year 17 AD by Tiberius (14/37)
Peripterus
hexastyle sine postico (columns all around, six columns in the front, non in
the back) with eight columns remaining on the right side and two in front
Under the church
197 BC, the
current structure dates back to 90 BC built for one Cecilia Metella
Peripterus
hexastyle in Ionic style
To the left of the church
TEMPLE OF HOPE (maybe)
260 BC
Atilius Calatinus
Peripterus
hexastyle with six Doric columns on the left side. Originally on each side
there were eleven columns
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