S. Maria in Dominica (Book 3) (Map B3) (Day 1) (View C10) (Rione Campitelli) and (Rione Monti) In this page:
This plate shows several interesting subjects belonging to different
periods of the history of Rome, from Roman ruins to medieval and Renaissance
churches. The view is taken from the green dot in the small 1748 map below.
In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) S. Stefano Rotondo;
2) Ruins of Acqua Claudia; 3) Entrance to Villa Mattei; 4) S. Maria in Domnica; 5) S. Tommaso in Formis;
6) Ancient inscription (Arco di Dolabella). The dotted line in the small map delineates the border between Rione Campitelli and Rione Monti (lower right quarter).
Although the street is now much larger the area on the top of the Celio hill has retained its evocative appearance. The church is one of the oldest deaneries in Rome, rebuilt by Pasquale I in 817. Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici who later became Leo X erected the portico under Innocentius VIII. On the arches the head of a lion is a symbol of the pope (see background). The coat of arms on the façade celebrates Innocentius VIII, while the coat of arms of Leo X is in the portico. Navicella=little ship is a copy made by order of Leo X of a Roman small marble found in the area. The theme of the little ship appears again in the beautiful late Renaissance wooden ceiling of the church. The current entrance to Villa Mattei is not that shown in the plate. It is the former main entrance to Villa Giustiniani and it was moved to this site in the 1920s when Villa Mattei was bought by the State and opened to the public. This entrance dates back to the early XVIIth century and it was designed by Carlo Lambardi. The Villa is also called Celimontana with reference to its location (Mons Celius). These medieval buildings were part of the hospital annexed to the church of S. Tommaso in Formis. This church belonged to the Trinitarian order which was devoted to ransoming christian slaves. The mosaic medallion was executed in the XIIIth century and shows Christ between a white and a black slave. The Trinitarians built in Via Condotti in the XVIIIth century the Chiesa della SS. Trinità. Rovine dell'Acqua Claudia e Arco di Dolabella The ruins in the plate belong to the aqueduct built by the Emperor
Claudius (Acqua Claudia), which brought water to the Imperial Palaces on the Palatinus (another stretch of the aqueduct can be seen near Porta Maggiore).
The largest circular church in Rome was erected at the close of the
Vth century by Pope Simplicius on top of previous buildings, most likely
the Macellum Magnum of the Emperor Nero. Recent excavations found traces
of a Mithraeum, a temple of the monotheist religion the Christians most
feared. Pope Nicholas V (see his painted coat of arms) restored it and
limited the church by leaving out the outer ring (using a small part of
it to make a portico).
Next plate in Book 3: SS. Giovanni e Paolo
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