Tuesday, January 23
The hunt for Bernini’s (and others) continues. We went back to Santa Maria Sopra La Minerva to see their Bernini and Michaelangelo. We had been to this church a few times but every time we went a wedding was in progress, so we really didn’t get to see the church in detail. We’re really glad we went back because the church is magnificent – one of our favorites.
The church is enormous and is in the gothic style. As early as 50 BC the site contained several pagan temples. The first version of the church was built in the 13th century. The interior is cavernous. It has a rose window at the far end and stained glass windows all along the sides. In addition to the having chapels all along the naive there are several, older ones, to sides of the apse.
Our first find, just in front of the main alter, was a sculpture by Michaelangelo named, ‘Risen Christ’. The original sculpture was abandoned because Michaelangelo found a black vein in the marble; it still exists. The second version is the one on display in this church. The subject is shown as a strong, muscular figure typical of his style. The original sculpture depicted Christ nude to emphasize his humanity. The loincloth was added later during the Baroque period at the direction of the Pope.
(Risen Christ by Michaelangelo)
We found the Bernini tucked away in one of the chapels near the front of the church. His sculptures adorn the Tomb of Cardinal Domenico Pimentel.
(The Tomb of Cardinal Domenico Pimentel by Bernini)
Our next stop was San Lorenzo in Lucina to see another Bernini.
(Bust of Gabriele Fonseca by Bernini)
We also visited Chiesa di S. Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli before heading back for home.
Distance walked: 5.7 miles and 1 flight
Wednesday, January 24
Today we walked across town and up the Esquiline Hill to get to Basilica di Santa Prassede. We’d tried to visit before but it had been closed. Today we were fortunate to find it open.
The groundbreaking for this church was in the 8th century and it has been reconstructed and expanded over the years. The inside is decorated in Byzantine style. The main alter and apse are decorated with intricate mosaics and the sides of the church are covered in ancient frescos. Inside we found an interesting relic: the column that Jesus was tied to when he was flogged in Jerusalem. It was brought to the church in 1223 by Pope Honorius III.
(The Column of the Scourging of Jesus)
The Bernini, the Bust of Giovanni Battista Santoni, was the very first work he produced. He was 15 years old. At the time he worked in the studio of his father, who was also a well known sculptor.
(The Bust of Giovanni Battista Santoni by Bernini)
(The main alter)
On our way home we visited Parrocchia Sant’Eusebio all’Esquilino, a church we hadn’t seen before.
All of the churches we’ve visited are active churches. In order to explore them we’ve had to wait out services of various kinds. To date we’ve attended three masses, two weddings and a funeral.
Distance walked: 9.4 miles and 18 flights
Total churches visited so far: 108 and one Synagogue