Church of San Martino ai Monti

San Martino ai Monti, officially known as the Basilica of Saints Silvestro and Martino ai Monti, is one of the oldest churches in Rome, located in the Monti district. The church has a long and complex history dating back to the early centuries of Christianity. The origins of the church date back to the 4th century, when Pope Silvestro I had a titulus, a domestic church, built on land donated by the Equizia family. This first building, called titulus Equitii, served as a place of worship for the local Christian community. In the 6th century, during the pontificate of Pope Simmaco, the church was rebuilt and dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, thus taking the name of San Martino ai Monti. In the 9th century, Pope Sergius II ordered a new reconstruction of the church. The building was expanded and renovated, with the addition of a semicircular apse and a bell tower. Over the following centuries, San Martino ai Monti underwent further modifications and restorations, changing its appearance and structure. The current appearance of the church is mainly due to the work carried out in the 17th century under the direction of the architect Filippo Gagliardi. The baroque facade was completed in 1650 and features decorative elements typical of that period. The interior of the church is characterized by a single nave with three chapels on each side and a semicircular apse. The richly decorated ceiling was created by Gagliardi and features frescoes depicting scenes from the lives of Saint Martin and Saint Silvestro. One of the most remarkable elements of San Martino ai Monti is the chapel dedicated to Saint Silvestro, located on the left side of the nave. This chapel houses 14th-century frescoes depicting episodes from the life of Saint Silvestro and the Council of Nicaea. The frescoes are attributed to artists of the Roman school and are considered significant examples of medieval painting. The crypt of San Martino ai Monti is another important point of interest. The crypt preserves remains of the original structures of the titulus Equitii and ancient early Christian frescoes. The ancient walls and decorations testify to the long history of the church and its role as a Christian place of worship in the early centuries of the Christian era. San Martino ai Monti is also linked to the legend of Saint Praxedes and Saint Pudentiana, two Roman saints who are said to have lived nearby and contributed to the spread of Christianity in Rome. The church is also associated with the figure of Saint Philip Neri, the founder of the Oratory, who lived and preached in Rome in the 16th century.