Description of the attraction
The Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere was founded in the 3rd century by Saint Callixtus and completed under Pope Julius I. Throughout the centuries, despite numerous restorations, it has largely retained its original appearance. It was only in the 18th century that Pope Clement VII commissioned the architect Carlo Fontana to build a portico. The church façade is crowned with a tall tympanum and richly decorated portals. Next to the basilica there is a beautiful Romanesque bell tower with an ancient bell under its roof.
The basilica remains to this day a place of worship of the Virgin Mary. Images of the Virgin Mary dominate the interior of the church, including the magnificent mosaics of the 12th-13th centuries. The oldest depiction of the Virgin Mary is the 7th century icon "Madonna di Clemenza" in the Altemps Chapel.
