Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Inside it's the golden 12th-century mosaics that stand out. In the apse, look out for the
dazzling depiction of Christ and his mother flanked by various saints and, on the far left,
Pope Innocent II holding a model of the church. Beneath this is a series of six mosaics by
Pietro Cavallini (c 1291) illustrating the life of the Virgin.
Columns, Ceiling & Cosmati
Note the 21 Roman columns, some plundered from the Terme di Caracalla, the wooden
ceiling designed in 1617 by Domenichino and, on the right of the altar, a spiralling Cos-
mati candlestick, on the exact spot where the oil fountain is said to have sprung. The Cap-
pella Avila is also worth a look for its stunning 17th-century dome. The spiralling Cos-
matesque floor was relaid in the 1870s, a recreation of the 13th-century original.
DON'T MISS…
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Facade mosaics
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13th-century Cavallini mosaics in the apse
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Ancient Roman granite columns
PRACTICALITIES
Viale di Trastevere
