Church of Santa Maria in Montesanto

The Basilica of Santa Maria in Montesanto, located in Piazza del Popolo in Rome, is a church that harmoniously combines Baroque and Renaissance elements. Started in 1662 at the behest of Pope Alexander VII, the church was completed in 1679 under the direction of Carlo Fontana and the supervision of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The facade, characterized by elegant volutes and pilasters, was completed in 1679, with the bell tower added in 1761 according to the design of Francesco Navone. Architecture The church has an elliptical plan, unlike its “twin” Santa Maria dei Miracoli, which has a circular plan. The elliptical plan gives the church a sense of spaciousness and movement. The interior features a single nave with six side chapels, decorated with golden stuccoes and polychrome marbles. The main altar is dominated by a Virgin of Montesanto, a 16th-century painting attributed to Plautilla Bricci. This recently restored altar is one of the focal points of the interior decoration. Side Chapels The side chapels house significant works of art: First Chapel on the Right: Built by Carlo Francesco Bizzaccheri, it is decorated with an altarpiece and frescoes by Niccolò Berrettoni and marble putti by Pietro Paolo Naldini. Second Chapel on the Right: The Chapel of the Supper at Emmaus contains an altarpiece painted by Riccardo Tommasi Ferroni in 1982. Third Chapel on the Right: Features frescoes and stuccoes by various Baroque artists. Frescoes and Decorations The room adjacent to the sacristy, frescoed by Baciccia between 1691 and 1692, is an extraordinary example of Baroque decoration. The frescoes depict biblical scenes and saints, further enriching the interior of the church. History The church takes its name from the Carmelite friars of the province of Monte Santo in Sicily, who owned the small church replaced by the current basilica. Construction began under Pope Alexander VII and was completed with the contribution of Cardinal Girolamo Gastaldi, who is buried in the church. Functions and Celebrations Since 1953, the church has been known as the “Church of Artists,” thanks to the “Mass of Artists” established in 1941 by Ennio Francia. This Eucharistic celebration, which takes place every Sunday, sees the participation of representatives from the world of culture and art. The church also hosts funerals of personalities linked to the world of entertainment and television, making it an important point of reference for the Roman artistic community. Historical Curiosities In 1904, Angelo Roncalli, future Pope John XXIII, was ordained a priest in this church, an event commemorated by a plaque placed during his pontificate. Additionally, beneath the two twin churches lie the remains of two pyramid-shaped funerary monuments from the Augustan age, similar to the Pyramid of Caius Cestius, which served as monumental entrances to the Campus Martius.