Santa Maria della Pace Church, Rome
Santa Maria della Pace is a small Catholic church, lost among the intricacies of the streets of the center of Rome. The Baroque façade makes it look like other churches of that era. But the interior differs from them – the frescoes created by the eminent Renaissance master Raphael stand out, and the chapels are designed and decorated by other famous artists.
Church history
At the beginning of the 15th century, a small chapel dedicated to the Apostle Andrew stood on the site of the present church. In 1482 a miracle happened here – the icon of the Mother of God began to bleed. And Pope Sixtus IV promised to build a large church on the site of the chapel, if the events of the Pazzi conspiracy ended in peace, not bloodshed. In the same year, the construction of the temple began.
In 1504, Donato Bramante completed the premises around the inner courtyard, and in 1514 completed the work on the first chapel commissioned by the banker Agostino Chigi. In 1611 the building was renovated. And in 1656-1657, Pope Alexander VII ordered another restructuring. Architect Pietro da Cortona designed the remarkable façade of the church.
Architecture and interior
The Baroque façade itself is a decoration of the whole church. Its semicircle wings cover the central part. Its lower level is supported by a number of columns, the upper one is decorated with various bas-reliefs and emblems. In the plan, the church has a single octagonal nave with an apse. Two chapels are located on each side around it:
- Chigi Chapel. Named after the client, the banker of the Pope. It is decorated with frescoes by Raphael. The fresco “Sibille e angeli” is placed on the wall, and in the upper part there are images of the prophets Habakkuk, Jonah, David and Daniel. The last was creted by the student of Rafael – Timoteo Viti after the death of the master.
- Cesi Chapel. Designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, and decorated with frescoes by Rosso Fiorentino. In the side niches theree are statues of Saints Peter and Paul, and next to them there are sculptures of husband and wife, of the Cesi family sleeping in the graves.
- Ponzetti Chapel. Its walls are decorated with frescoes on biblical themes, which were created by Baldassare Peruzzi. There are also funerary monuments of the Ponzetti family.
- Mignanelli Chapel. Decorated with beautiful sculptures and bas-reliefs of white marble.
The apse of the church, as well as the nave, is octagonal and concave. It is decorated with a whole series of frescoes by famous artists: Carlo Maratta, Raffaello Vanni, Orazio Gentileschi, Lavinia Fontana.
Chiostro del Bramante
The courtyard and premises of the monastery were designed by Donato Bramante, commissioned by Cardinal Oliviero Carafa. They are a great example of Renaissance architecture; this is one of the first works of an architect in Rome.
The square courtyard is formed by 16 columns that create a continuous portico on the first floor. The second floor is supported by 16 pseudo-Corinthian columns. Everything is strict and restrained, with minimum decorations, which differs from the works of Bramante in Milan. Today the premises of the former monastery are a place for temporary exhibitions.
How to get there
The Santa Maria della Pace Church is located in the historic quarters of the center of Rome, on Arco della Pace Street, 5. On the adjacent Piazza Navona there is the Fountain of the Four Rivers, and within walking distance there are the beautiful Palazzo Madama and Pamphilj. The nearest stop is Zanardelli, it is 200 meters away. You can get here by bus routes 30, 70, 81, 87, 130F, 492, 628, C3, N6, N7, N25).
Opening hours: Monday and Friday from 10:00 to 16:00, from Tuesday to Thursday from 9:00 to 12:00. Phone number for information (+39) 06 6861156.
Free admission.
