Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto facts for kids
The Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria di Montesanto are two famous churches located in Rome, Italy. You can find them in a large public space called the Piazza del Popolo. They stand right at the northern entrance of the old city walls, where the important street Via del Corso begins. People often call them "twin" churches because they look so much alike from the outside. However, if you look closely, you'll see they have some differences in their design and details.
From the Piazza del Popolo, these two churches help define a special layout of three streets, known as the "trident." On the left is Via del Babuino, in the middle is Via del Corso, and on the right is Via di Ripetta. Santa Maria in Montesanto stands between Via del Babuino and Via del Corso, while Santa Maria dei Miracoli is next to Via di Ripetta.
These churches were built in the 1600s. At that time, this area was the main entrance to Rome for travelers coming from the north. Pope Alexander VII wanted to make this entrance grand and beautiful. He asked an architect named Carlo Rainaldi to design two churches with round or central shapes. However, the spaces available for building were not perfectly shaped, so the plans had to be changed quite a bit. Both churches were paid for by a wealthy church leader named Cardinal Girolamo Gastaldi, and you can still see his family symbol in both buildings.
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Santa Maria dei Miracoli: The Church of Wonders
Quick facts for kids Santa Maria dei Miracoli |
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| 41°54′35″N 12°28′35″E / 41.90985°N 12.47645°E | |
| Location | Piazza del Popolo, Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1675 |
| Completed | 1681 |
The construction of Santa Maria dei Miracoli started in 1675 and was finished in 1681. This church has a circular shape inside. It features a beautiful bell tower from the 1700s, designed by Girolamo Theodoli, and an eight-sided dome.
Inside, the church is richly decorated with stucco (a type of plaster decoration) made by Antonio Raggi, who was a student of the famous artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The monuments for Cardinals Benedetto and Gastaldi were designed by Carlo Fontana, who also helped design the dome and its lantern. The bronze statues on these monuments were created by Girolamo Lucenti.
At the main altar, there is a special image of the Virgin Mary. This image is believed to have performed miracles, which is how the church got its name, "Santa Maria dei Miracoli" (Saint Mary of the Miracles).
Santa Maria in Montesanto: The Artists' Church
Santa Maria in Montesanto was built on the site of an older church with the same name. This older church was used by Carmelite friars, and its name "Montesanto" (Holy Mountain) refers to Mount Carmel in Israel, which is important to the Carmelite order.
The building of the current church began on July 15, 1662. Cardinal Girolamo Gastaldi also supported this project. The church was mostly finished by 1675, with more additions made by 1679. The first designs were by Carlo Rainaldi, but Gian Lorenzo Bernini later revised them, and Carlo Fontana finally completed the work. An additional bell tower was added in the 1700s. The statues of saints on the outside of the church are thought to be based on Bernini's designs.
The inside of Santa Maria in Montesanto has an oval shape, and its dome has twelve sides. In 1825, the church was given the special title of a "minor basilica."
On August 10, 1904, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who later became Pope John XXIII, was ordained as a priest in this very church.
Since 1953, a special tradition called the "Mass of the Artists" has been held here. From the last Sunday of October until June 29, a mass takes place every Sunday. During this mass, an artist reads a passage, and there is live music. At the end, a special prayer for artists is read. Because of this, Santa Maria in Montesanto is often called the Church of the Artists.
Inside Santa Maria in Montesanto
Let's take a look at some of the chapels inside this church:
- The first chapel on the left is dedicated to Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy).
- The second chapel honors Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzi, a Carmelite nun. Carlo Rainaldi designed this chapel. The ceiling and the altarpiece, which shows a "Miracle of the saint" (around 1685), were painted by Ludovico Gimignani.
- The third chapel is called the cappella Montioni. The Montioni family asked Tommaso Mattei, a student of Carlo Fontana, to design it. The altarpiece, "Madonna with Child and Saints Francis and Jacob" (around 1687), was painted by Carlo Maratta. The "Assumption" fresco on the ceiling was painted by Giuseppe Chiari. On the altar, there is a modern statue called the "Angel for the artists" by Guelfo (who lived from 1937 to 1997).
The area around the main altar is decorated with stucco angels by Filippo Carcani. It also holds a miraculous altarpiece from the 1400s called "Virgin of Montesanto." Legend says this painting was created by an 11-year-old girl! The church's sacristy (a room where priests prepare) has a frescoed ceiling with angels and symbols of Jesus's suffering. The altarpiece there, "The Deposition" (around 1600), is believed to be by Biagio Puccini.
See also
- Roman Catholic Marian churches
