The San Marcello al Corso Church is located along Rome‘s main shopping street, Via del Corso. Its main attractions are frescoes and paintings by important artists such as Jacopo Sansovino, Francesco Salviati, the Zuccari brothers and Antonio Algardi.
Continue reading “San Marcello al Corso Church Rome”Category: Church
Sant’Andrea degli Scozzesi Church Rome
The Sant’Andrea degli Scozzesi Church is located in the Via delle Quattro Fontane in the Trevi district of Rome. It is not open to tourists and can only be visited while mass is being held.
Continue reading “Sant’Andrea degli Scozzesi Church Rome”Santa Maria del Rosario in Prati Church Rome
The Santa Maria del Rosario in Prati is a church in the Prati district of Rome. Built in the early 20th century, it should not be confused with the much more interesting Santa Maria del Rosario Church on Via Trionfale.
Continue reading “Santa Maria del Rosario in Prati Church Rome”Sacro Cuore di Gesù in Prati Church Rome
The Sacro Cuore di Gesù in Prati Church in Rome is also called the Sacro Cuore del Suffragio Church. The church has an impressive Gothic façade that is even more striking because it is wedged between modern buildings. Next to the sacristy is a small museum where relics of souls from purgatory are on display.
Sacro Cuore di Gesù in Prati Church Rome
ADDRESS, OPENING HOURS AND ENTRANCE FEE
Address: Lungotevere Prati, 12, Rome. District: Rione Prati. Telephone: +39 0668806517. Opening Hours: From 07.30 to 11.00 and from 16.30 to 19.30. Entrance fee: Free of charge. (NB: During the Corona crisis times may vary).
History
The Sacro Cuore in Suffragio delle Anime del Purgatorio Church was built between 1894 and 1917. The architect was Giuseppe Gualandi. The founder was the French priest Victor Jouet.
In 1897, a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Rosario almost completely burned down. On one of the pillars that were still standing, people thought they could see the face of a man. This was thought to belong to one of the souls in purgatory. Jouet then started to collect similar relics. His collection is displayed in a museum next to the sacristy.
Description
Although the church has a white marble-like colour, it is made entirely of reinforced concrete. The style of the building is neo-Gothic.
Façade
The facade is characterised by its many pointed spires. This has earned the church its nickname of “Little Cathedral of Milan”. The central part is much higher than the rest of the church. Both the sides of this central part and the sides of the entire church end in pointed spires. Between thesespires are a number of aediculas with statues of saints.
The octagonal bell tower likewise ends in a spire. Under the spire is a loggia decorated with a cross between four irises.
In front of the entrance gate is a protiro (a protective portico). Its columns are made of red marble from Verona. The relief in the lunette shows the “Holy Souls from Purgatory”. The statue in the tympanum depicts “Our Lord of the Sacred Heart”.
The two smaller gates are also preceded by protiros. The relief above the left gate depicts “The Resurrection of Christ”. Above the right gate, the “Descent from the Cross” can be seen.
There are 19 sculptures sculptures on the façade, which wera all made by Orsoni and personally selected by Pope Pius X.
Interior
The interior consists of three naves separated by huge pointed arches. The floor is also made of Veronese marble and has a herringbone pattern.
What to see
The main altar was designed by Gualandi. It is made of marble and gilded bronze. On the altar there is a bronze tabernacle. The altar cloth consists of three parts. The Lord in the middle is flanked by the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.
Museum od the Souls of Purgatory
Next to the sacristy is a “Museum of the Souls of Purgatory“. After a fire on September 15, 1897, the Virgin of Rosario Chapel was reduced to ashes. On a pillar, an imprint of a man’s head could be seen. It was thought that this imprint was that of a soul from purgatory. There is a photograph of this in the museum.
The French priest Victor Jouet considered the imprint to be a sign from God. He travelled far and wide to find similar relics or documents referring to similar events elsewhere.
His finds can be seen in the museum. There are especially many handprints burnt into garments and wooden panels. Most of these were discovered in Italy and France.
Sacro Cuore di Gesù in Prati Church, Rome
Santi Marcellino and Pietro Church Rome
The Santi Marcellino and Pietro Church in Rome is a small church on the corner of the Via Labicana and the Via Merulana, at a couple of minutes’ walking distance from the Colosseum. The first version of the church, which now is several metres below the present street level, was constructed in the 4th century.
Continue reading “Santi Marcellino and Pietro Church Rome”Santa Maria in Portico Church Rome
The Santa Maria in Portico Church is located in the Piazza Campitelli in Rome. Its cloister contains the Roman ruins of the Apollo Sosiano Temple.
Santa Maria in Portico Church Rome
Useful information
Address: Piazza di Campitelli, 9 – Roma. Phone: +39 06 68803978 or 06 6874285. District: Campitelli. Opening hours: From 07.00 till 19.00.
History and description
The Chiesa di Santa Maria in Portico in Campitelli is one of the oldest church in Rome dedicated to Mary. It was built by Carlo Rainaldi at the site of an earliet church called Santa Maria in Campitelli. Pope Alexander VII had ordered the church to be built to fulfill a vow made to the Roman people to the people of Rome to protect an image of the Madonna in front of which the Romans had prayed during an epidemic of the llague. The end of this epidemic was attributed to the intervention of the image.
The travertine marble facade consists of two levels. The columns that are part of the facade are not directly attached to the wall. Because of the many colums of different sizes the facade seems rather “crowded”, despite the lack of ulterior decorations.
Highlights
Giovanni Antonio de Rossi made the gilded tabernacle in which the image of Mary is preserved.
The cloister contains part of the foundation of the Temple of Apollo Sosiano.
Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore Church Rome
The Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore Church in Rome is also known as the San Giacomo degli Spagnoli Church. This church has two facades, the main one being on the Corso del Risorgimento. The second facade is on the Piazza Navona. Continue reading “Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore Church Rome”
Santi Luca e Martina Church Rome
The Santi Luca e Martina Church is located next to of the Roman Forum in Rome. From the viewpoint on the Capitol Hill there is a beautiful view over the dome of this church. The interior was used in 2016 for the TV series “The Young Pope” as the interior of the St. Peter’s Basilica. The official name of the church is Santi Luca e Martina al Foro Romano. Continue reading “Santi Luca e Martina Church Rome”
Sacro Cuore di Gesu a Castro Pretorio Church Rome
The Sacro Cuore di Gesu a Castro Pretorio Church is a relatively new church in Rome. It is located in the Via Marsala, right by the main railway station Roma Termini. It was built between 1879 and 1887, by San Giovanni Bosco, who was helped by Francesco Vespignani. Continue reading “Sacro Cuore di Gesu a Castro Pretorio Church Rome”
Santi Ildefonso e Tommaso da Villanova Church Rome
The Santi Ildefonso e Tommaso da Villanova Church is a small 17th century church on the Via Sistina in Rome. Continue reading “Santi Ildefonso e Tommaso da Villanova Church Rome”
