Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, A Majestic Space of Art and History

Piazza della Repubblica, Roma, Italia

The first church I visited in Rome

4.3

Introduction

The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri was built on the site of the cold water bathing facilities in the Baths of Diocletian. Diocletian was a former commander of the Praetorian Guard who became emperor after winning the civil war. Like Caracalla, he built public baths for the citizens of Rome. In 1563, Michelangelo utilized the remaining structures of the baths to construct the basilica. The master completed the project before his death in 1574. Although the church seems ordinary, the interior space is very spacious. The entrance of the church is located on the remaining wall of the baths, and the angel-shaped holy water bowl at the entrance reflects the unusual nature of the church. The church adopts a basilica structure, which is 90.8 meters long, 27 meters wide, and 28 meters high, with a grand shape. In addition to the main altar, there are small chapels on both sides of the wings. It was the national church during the Kingdom of Italy (1870-1946), and later, national funeral services were also held here. There is a small door leading to the Galileo Memorial Courtyard. In 2010, the Chinese Academy of Sciences donated a 6-meter-tall bronze statue of Galileo. The two large doors at the entrance of the church were designed by Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj. The left door depicts Jesus and the martyrs with the cross on their bodies, struggling to break free from the bronze. The right door depicts the Annunciation, with Mary humbly facing the angel.