a photo review of a glittering interior
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I discover in each part of the city I explore. Often a small, plain entrance can offer an amazing surprise and on this day I was not disappointed.
Walking away from the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore on Via Merulana take the short parallel street Via di Santa. The side entrance (photo above) is easy to miss.
Since many Italian churches welcome visitors during the hours they are open I followed a few locals and visitors inside expecting the usual rows of seats and dark alcoves along the sides.
Greeted by the gleam of thousands of mosaic pieces you crane your neck to try to see everything.
There is no tour guide at the entrance but you can purchase on the honor system, a brief brochure within the church.
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| Ceiling of the Saint Zeno chapel |
The Interior reminded me of the mosaic work in Santa Maria Trastevere, Rome. Impossible to estimate the number of tiles used even in one picture but in an entire ceiling it may be many thousands. The stunning pictorials and patterns instead of frescoes or oil paintings is a startling change from the other churches in the city.
Sadly I arrived shortly before the church closed for lunch!
On my next trip to Rome I shall return with more of the church history and information on each of the stunning mosaic scenes. You may find that the art is captivating, the clarity of the figures change as you walk closer.
For more details see the following from Wikipedia:
