Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto facts for kids
Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria di Montesanto are two beautiful churches located in Rome, Italy.
You can find them in the famous Piazza del Popolo, right across from the old northern gate of the Aurelian Walls. They stand at the beginning of Via del Corso, a well-known street. People often call them "twin" churches because they look very much alike from the outside. However, if you look closely, you'll spot some differences in their design and details.
From the square, these two churches help create a special street layout called the "trident." This is where three streets branch out from Piazza del Popolo. From left to right, they are Via del Babuino, Via del Corso, and Via di Ripetta. Santa Maria in Montesanto stands between Via del Babuino and Via del Corso. Santa Maria dei Miracoli is between Via del Corso and Via di Ripetta.
These churches were built in the 1600s. At that time, the area was the main entrance to Rome for travelers coming from the north. Pope Alexander VII wanted to make this entrance grand and impressive. He asked architect Carlo Rainaldi to design two churches with round shapes. However, the land available for each church was different, so the designs had to be changed quite a bit. Both churches were paid for by Cardinal Girolamo Gastaldi, whose family symbol can be seen in both buildings.
Contents
Santa Maria dei Miracoli
Quick facts for kids Santa Maria dei Miracoli |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 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 |
Construction on Santa Maria dei Miracoli started in 1675 and finished in 1681. This church has a circular shape. 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) by Antonio Raggi, who was a student of the famous artist Bernini. The monuments for Cardinals Benedetto and Gastaldi were designed by Carlo Fontana, who also helped design the dome. The bronze statues were made 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). One of the chapels inside has an altar dedicated to Our Lady of Bétharram, named after a holy place near Lourdes.
Santa Maria in Montesanto
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. The name "Montesanto" means "Holy Mountain" and refers to Mount Carmel in Israel, which is important to the Carmelite order.
Building the current church began on July 15, 1662, also with support from Cardinal Girolamo Gastaldi. It was mostly finished by 1675, with more additions by 1679. The first designs were by Carlo Rainaldi, but then Gian Lorenzo Bernini made some changes, and finally, Carlo Fontana completed the work. A 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 this church 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 taken place here. From the last Sunday of October until June 29, a mass is held every Sunday. During this mass, an artist reads a passage, and there is special music. At the end, a prayer for artists is read. Because of this, Santa Maria in Montesanto is also known as the Church of the Artists.
Inside the Church of the Artists
The first chapel on the left side is called the cappella di Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy's chapel). The second chapel is dedicated to Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzi. It was designed by Carlo Rainaldi to honor this Carmelite nun. The ceiling and the painting on the altar, called Miracle of the saint (around 1685), were painted by Ludovico Gimignani.
The third chapel is the cappella Montioni. The Montioni family asked Tommaso Mattei, a student of Carlo Fontana, to design it. The altarpiece, a painting called Madonna with Child and Saints Francis and Jacob (around 1687), was completed by Carlo Maratta. The Assumption fresco (a painting on wet plaster) was done by Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari. On the altar, there is a modern statue called Angel for the artists by Guelfo (who lived from 1937 to 1997).
The main altar area is decorated with stucco angels by Filippo Carcani. It holds a miraculous altarpiece from the 1400s called Virgin of Montesanto. Legend says this painting was created by an 11-year-old girl. The sacristy (a room where priests prepare) has a frescoed ceiling with angels and symbols of Jesus's suffering. The altarpiece there, called Deposition (around 1600), is thought to be by Biagio Puccini.
See also
- Roman Catholic Marian churches
