Church of Santa Maria della Pace

The Church of Santa Maria della Pace is an architectural gem located in the Ponte district of Rome, near Piazza Navona. Its history begins with a chapel dedicated to Sant’Andrea de Aquaricariis, replaced in 1482 by a church commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV after a miraculous event. The Baroque facade, added by Pietro da Cortona between 1656 and 1667, is one of its most distinctive features. The interior of the church, accessible through the original 15th-century portal, features a short nave with an octagonal transept and a gallery topped by a dome. Carlo Maderno designed the main altar in 1614, framing a venerable painting of the Madonna and Child. One of the most notable chapels is the Chigi Chapel, commissioned by Agostino Chigi and attributed to Raphael. The frescoes, depicting the Sibyls and angels, and the bronze sculptures by Cosimo Fancelli and Ercole Ferrata, make this chapel a masterpiece of the Renaissance. The Cesi Chapel, designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, houses frescoes by Rosso Fiorentino and sculptures by Vincenzo de’ Rossi. The church also contains the Ponzetti Chapel, decorated by Baldassarre Peruzzi, and the Mignanelli Chapel, with marbles from the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. The octagonal gallery, adorned with stuccoes by Pietro da Cortona, is surrounded by frescoed chapels and paintings by various artists, including Carlo Maratta and Baldassarre Peruzzi. Another prominent feature is the Bramante Cloister, built between 1500 and 1504. Considered one of the most important works of the Renaissance, the cloister has a square plan with a portico supported by 16 pillars, following the Vitruvian proportion. The simplicity and perfection of its forms distinguish it as one of the purest examples of Renaissance architecture. The cloister now hosts temporary art exhibitions, making the church not only a place of worship, but also an important cultural center.