Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo
| Santa Maria del Popolo S. Mariæ de Populo (in Latin) |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Basic information | |
| Location | Rome, Italy |
| Geographic coordinates | 41°54′41″N 12°28′35″E / 41.911389°N 12.476389°ECoordinates: 41°54′41″N 12°28′35″E / 41.911389°N 12.476389°E |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Rite | Latin Rite |
| Municipality | Municipio I |
| District | Campo Marzio |
| Province | Diocese of Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Year consecrated | 1477 |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Basilica minor, parish church (1561), titular church (1587) |
| Status | Active |
| Leadership | Stanislaw Dziwisz |
| Website | Santa Maria del Popolo |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Andrea Bregno, Donato Bramante, Gian Lorenzo Bernini |
| Architectural type | basilica |
| Architectural style | Renaissance, Baroque |
| Founder | Pope Paschal II (1099) |
| Groundbreaking | 1472 |
| Completed | 1477 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | W |
| Dome(s) | 3 |
| Spire(s) | 1 |
The Parish Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo (Italian: Basilica Parrocchiale Santa Maria del Popolo) is a titular church and a minor basilica in Rome run by the Augustinian order. It stands on the north side of Piazza del Popolo, one of the most famous squares in the city. The church is hemmed in between the Pincian Hill and Porta del Popolo, one of the gates in the Aurelian Wall as well as the starting point of Via Flaminia, the most important route from the north. Its location made the basilica the first church for the majority of travellers entering the city. The church contains works by several famous artists, such as Raphael, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Caravaggio, Alessandro Algardi, Pinturicchio, Andrea Bregno, Guillaume de Marcillat and Donato Bramante.
Foundation legend
The well-known foundation legend of Santa Maria del Popolo revolves around the evil memory of Emperor Nero and Pope Paschal II cleansing the area from this malicious legacy. As the story goes the emperor was buried after his demise at the foot of the Pincian Hill in the mausoleum of his paternal family, the Domitii Ahenobarbi. The sepulchre was later buried under a landslide and a huge walnut tree grew on the ruins that ″was so tall and sublime that no other plant exceeded it in any ways.″ The towering walnut soon became the haunt of a multitude of vicious demons harassing the inhabitants of the area and also the travelers arriving in the city from the north through Porta Flaminia: ″some were being frightened, possessed, cruelly beaten and injured, others almost strangled, or miserably killed.″ The actions of the demonic crowd endangered an important access of the city and also upset the entire population, causing serious concern to the newly elected pontiff, Paschal II who ″saw the flock of Christ committed to his watch, becoming prey to the infernal wolves.″
...
Wikipedia