Today we’re headed to Rome, to visit one of my favourite churches; Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere.
The site of Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, or Our Lady in Trastevere for us anglophones, has a long history. Back in the 3rd Century it was home to a refuge for retired soldiers (Taberna meritoria).
In the 4th Century the land was converted to be used by local Christians. There were 2 further restorations and, if I’m correct in my understanding, the current church dates back to the 12th Century.
While it doesn’t look like much at first glance, once you walk through the entrance you find yourself blinded by gold. Much of the church is quite dark, any light making its way in bounces off the various gold-leaf accented murals and surfaces.
And of course I took note of the tiled floor!
My sister, Brooke, and I were so taken with Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere that we visited not once but 3 times during our visit to Rome.
I’ll be back tomorrow with some art from within the portico outside. Until then..
Buona giornata!
Marla
I think I would like to return to Rome, I can see there is much more to see.
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I feel like Rome is one of those places that one can never stop learning about. It’s so incredibly rich in history.
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