Santa Maria Antiqua, Rome, Italy

Located at the foot of the Palatine Hill, Santa Maria Antiqua is the oldest and most significant Christian monument in the Roman Forum. The church was abandoned in the 9th century after an earthquake buried the buildings; it remained sealed for over 1000 years until its rediscovery in the early 20th century. Therefore, Santa Maria Antiqua represents a key element for the understanding of the cultural and urban development of the Roman Forum from Antiquity into the first centuries of the Christian period. Following a conservation program, the church is now open for tours.

The church contains a unique collection of wall paintings from the 6th to late 8th century. The discovery of these paintings have given many theories on the development of early medieval art and given distinctive beliefs in archaeology. The church has the earliest Roman depiction of Santa Maria Regina, the Virgin Mary as a Queen, from the 6th century.

References:

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Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

Anna Reynolds (13 months ago)
This spectacular church is well worth visiting. The conservation efforts over the last 30 years have paid off. The exhibit is showcased beautifully. It traces the history of the site from Roman times, to one of the earliest Christian churches in Rome. The use of technology and projections which show the chapels decoration over the years is brilliant. And be sure to see the video. A Roman Forum ticket gets you in.

D jiricka (13 months ago)
You can enter here with a ticket SUPER sites. The rooms were projected on the wall to showcase their previous decoration, creating an interesting experience.

Heart (2 years ago)
This is a small church tucked away under the Palatine Hill. I never knew this was here on my previous visits. It was part of the super ticket with several other hidden sites. Very beautiful. They have a light show graphic for some of the rooms that helps bring the murals to light.

Barry Parks (2 years ago)
One has to either be lucky or intentional about finding this relatively-recently-opened-for-view ancient church within the Roman Forum. (Access requires no additional ticket beyond the one for the Forum). The background is that this 5th-century church was abandoned due to fears of earthquake not long after is was constructed, and then lost to history until 1900. The spaces now offer reveal much of the worship space. As a bonus, the faded frescoes adorning the walls benefits from special lighting which periodically outlines and fills in colors for some images.

David (2 years ago)
A wonderful church full to the brim of great frescoes.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

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