Santa Maria sopra Minerva
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of Saint Mary Above Minerva is a titular minor basilica
and one of the most important churches of the Roman Catholic Dominican order
in Rome
, Italy
. The church, located in the Piazza della Minerva
in the Campus Martius
region, is considered the only Gothic
church in Rome. It houses the tombs of the St. Catherine of Siena and the Dominican painter Fra Angelico
(Blessed John of Fiesole). The father of modern astronomy Galileo Galilei
, after being tried for heresy
in the adjoining monastery, abjured his scientific theses in the church on the 22nd of June 1633.
The basilica gets its name because, like many early Christian
basilicas, it was built directly over () the foundations of a temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis
, but erroneously ascribed to the Greco-Roman goddess Minerva
. Behind a self-effacing facade, its arched vaulting is painted with brilliant red ribbing, and blue with gilded stars, a 19th century restoration in the Gothic taste. The basilica is located on the small piazza Minerva close to the Pantheon
, in the rione
Pigna
.
The present Cardinal Priest of the Titulus Sanctae Mariae supra Minervam has been Cormac Murphy-O'Connor since 2001.
about 50 B.C., referred to as , the Iseum
dedicated to Isis
, and the Serapeum
dedicated to Serapis
. Details of the temple to Minerva are not known but recent investigations indicate that a small round Minervium once stood a little further to east on the Piazzo of the Collegio Romano. In 1665 an Egypt
ian obelisk
was found, buried in the garden of the Dominican cloister adjacent to the church. Several other small obelisks were found at different times near the church, known as the , which were probably brought to Rome during the first century and grouped in pairs, with others, at the entrances of the temple of Isis.
There are other Roman survivals in the crypt
. The ruined temple is likely to have lasted until the reign of Pope Zachary
(741-752), who finally Christianized the site
, offering it to Eastern monks. The structure he commissioned has disappeared. In 1255 Pope Alexander I
V established a community of converted women there who were later transferred to San Pancrazio thereby allowing the Dominican Friars
to obtain the church in 1275. The Dominican Friars made the church and adjoining monastery their headquarters before later establishing it in Santa Sabina
. The Dominican Order still administers the area today.
The Dominicans began building the present gothic church in 1280, modeling it on their restored church in Florence, the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence
, following plans seemingly drawn up by two talented Dominican friars, Fra Sisto Fiorentino and Fra Ristoro da Campi, during the pontificate of Nicholas III. With the help of funds contributed by Boniface VIII, this first Gothic church in Rome was completed in 1370. It was renovated by Carlo Maderno
and others, given a Baroque
facade, then restored in the 19th century to its present neo-medieval state. The gates are from the 15th century.
The sacristy was the seat of two conclave
s. The first, held in the March 1431, elected Pope Eugene IV
, the second, in March 1447, Pope Nicholas V
.
After the condemnation his scientific theses, Galileo Galilei
pronounced the famous abjuration in the church on the 22 June 1633.
The church was elevated to the rank of minor basilica
and the first titular was appointed in 1556. The current Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Mariae supra Minervam is English
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.
gave the church a Baroque facade, then restored in the 19th century to its present neo-medieval state. Another significant feature on the facade are marks which date back to the 16th and 17th centuries which indicate that various floods of the Tiber rose to 65 feet (19.8 m).
In front of the church there is one of the most curious monuments of Rome, the so-called Pulcino della Minerva. It is a statue designed by the Baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini
(and carried out by his pupil Ercole Ferrata
in 1667) of an elephant as the supporting base for the Egyptian obelisk found in the Dominicans' garden. It is the shortest of the eleven Egyptian obelisks in Rome
and is said to have been one of two obelisks moved from Sais, where they were built during the 589 BC-570 BC reign of the pharaoh Apries
, from the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt
. The two obelisks were brought to Rome by Diocletian
, during his reign as emperor from 284 to 305, for placement at the Temple of Isis which stood nearby. The Latin inscription on the base, chosen by the pope who commissioned the sculpture to support the obelisk found on the site, Alexander VII, is said to represent that "...a strong mind is needed to support a solid knowledge".
The inspiration for the unusual composition came from Hypnerotomachia Poliphili
("Poliphilo's Dream of the Strife of Love"), an unusual 15th century novel probably by Francesco Colonna
. The novel's main character meets an elephant made of stone carrying an obelisk, and the accompanying woodcut illustration in the book is quite similar to Bernini's design for the base for the obelisk. The curious placement of the obelisk through the body of the elephant is identical.
The sturdy appearance of the structure earned it the popular nickname of "Porcino" ("Piggy") for a while. The name for the structure eventually changed to Pulcino, the Italian for a small or little "chick". This may have been a reference to the comparatively short height of the obelisk or, an obscure reference to the major charity of the Dominicans to assist young women needing dowries, who made a procession in the courtyard every year. The latter were once depicted in a local painting as three tiny figures with the Virgin Mary presenting purses to them.
, who added later Baroque elements to the 13th century nave. The stained glass windows are mainly from the 19th century. Although built in Gothic style, the best of its works of art are Renaissance
.
, with late 15th-century frescoes (1488–1493) by Filippino Lippi, was commissioned by Cardinal Oliviero Carafa
in honour of Saint Thomas Aquinas. There are two Marian scenes, the Annunciation and the Assumption; over the altar is his St Thomas presenting Cardinal Carafa to the Blessed Virgin, and on the right-hand wall his Glory of St Thomas. It was inaugurated in 1493, and is also known as the Chapel of St Thomas Aquinas. The relics of St Thomas Aquinas were kept in this chapel until 1511, when they were moved to Naples. Designed by Pirro Ligorio
in 1559, the tomb of Gian Pietro Carafa, who became Pope Paul IV
in 1555, is also in the chapel.
. The chapel contains the tomb of Cardinal Domenico Capranica
by Andrea Bregno
.
The Cristo della Minerva
, also known as Christ the Redeemer or Christ Carrying the Cross, is a marble sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, finished in 1521, located to the left of the main altar.
but it is Carlo Maderno
that completed della Porta's project (after 1602). It was consecrated in 1611. The canvas depicting the Institution of the Eucharist and dated from 1594 is by Federico Fiori. The monument to the parents of Pope Clement VIII
, Salvestro Aldobrandini and Luisa Dati, is by Giacomo della Porta
. The first Blessed Sacrament Confraternity to be approved by the Holy See was established in this chapel, with St. Ignatius of Loyola as one of its earliest members.
. The ceiling fresco Jesus Christ as a Judge, between two angels is by Melozzo da Forlì
.
is buried here (except her head, which is in the Basilica of San Domenico
in Siena
). Beyond the sacristy, the room where she died in 1380 was reconstructed here by Antonio Barberini
in 1637. This room is the first transplanted interior, and the progenitor of familiar 19th and 20th century museum "period rooms." The fresco
es by Antoniazzo Romano
that decorated the original walls, however, are now lost.
The famous early Renaissance
painter Fra Angelico
died in the adjoining convent, and is buried here also, as is Pope Paul IV
and the Medici
popes Leo X and Clement VII.
Before the construction of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini
, the Minerva was the church of the Florentine nation
, and therefore it houses numerous tombs of prelates, nobles and citizens coming from that Tuscan
city. Curiously, Diotisalvi Neroni
, a refugee who had taken part in the plot against Piero de' Medici
, was buried here in 1482, and was later joined by other members of the family. Also buried here are Pope Urban VII
; Latino Malabranca Orsini
; Michel Mazarin (Archbishop of Aix) who was the brother of Cardinal Jules Mazarin; George of Trebizond
; and Filarete
.
, another church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva was built in the 16th century within the surviving cella
of a late Republican temple of Minerva. Its Corinthian
portico still stands.
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
and one of the most important churches of the Roman Catholic Dominican order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
in Rome
Churches of Rome
There are more than 900 churches in Rome. Most, but not all, of these are Roman Catholic, with some notable Roman Catholic Marian churches.The first churches of Rome originated in places where Christians met. They were divided into three categories:...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The church, located in the Piazza della Minerva
Piazza della Minerva
Piazza della Minerva is a piazza in Rome, Italy, near the Pantheon. Its name derives from the existence of a temple built on the site by Pompey dedicated to Minerva Calcidica, whose statue is now in the Vatican Museums.-Features:Facing this piazza are:...
in the Campus Martius
Campus Martius
The Campus Martius , was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about in extent. In the Middle Ages, it was the most populous area of Rome...
region, is considered the only Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
church in Rome. It houses the tombs of the St. Catherine of Siena and the Dominican painter Fra Angelico
Fra Angelico
Fra Angelico , born Guido di Pietro, was an Early Italian Renaissance painter described by Vasari in his Lives of the Artists as having "a rare and perfect talent"...
(Blessed John of Fiesole). The father of modern astronomy Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
, after being tried for heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
in the adjoining monastery, abjured his scientific theses in the church on the 22nd of June 1633.
The basilica gets its name because, like many early Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
basilicas, it was built directly over () the foundations of a temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis
Isis
Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
, but erroneously ascribed to the Greco-Roman goddess Minerva
Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
. Behind a self-effacing facade, its arched vaulting is painted with brilliant red ribbing, and blue with gilded stars, a 19th century restoration in the Gothic taste. The basilica is located on the small piazza Minerva close to the Pantheon
Pantheon, Rome
The Pantheon ,Rarely Pantheum. This appears in Pliny's Natural History in describing this edifice: Agrippae Pantheum decoravit Diogenes Atheniensis; in columnis templi eius Caryatides probantur inter pauca operum, sicut in fastigio posita signa, sed propter altitudinem loci minus celebrata.from ,...
, in the rione
Rione
Rione is the name given to a ward in several Italian cities, the best-known of which is Rome. Unlike a quartiere, a rione is usually an official administrative subdivision...
Pigna
Pigna (rione of Rome)
Pigna is the name of rione IX of Rome. The name means "pine cone" in Italian, and the symbol for the rione is the colossal bronze pine cone, the Pigna, which decorated a fountain in Ancient Rome next to a vast Temple of Isis. There water flowed copiously from the top of the pinecone. The Pigna...
.
The present Cardinal Priest of the Titulus Sanctae Mariae supra Minervam has been Cormac Murphy-O'Connor since 2001.
History
In the area surrounding the basilica and the former convent buildings, there were three temples in Roman times: the Minervium, built by Gnaeus Pompey in honour of the goddess MinervaMinerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
about 50 B.C., referred to as , the Iseum
Iseum
An Iseum, also spelled Isaeum, is a sanctuary for the worshippers of the Greco-Roman god Isis. Isis was originally an Egyptian goddess who became hellenised. Many Iseums still exist today. They include the temple of Isis at Pompeii, a dedication at the Egyptian complex at Philae, and a scattering...
dedicated to Isis
Isis
Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
, and the Serapeum
Serapeum
A serapeum is a temple or other religious institution dedicated to the syncretic Hellenistic-Egyptian god Serapis, who combined aspects of Osiris and Apis in a humanized form that was accepted by the Ptolemaic Greeks of Alexandria...
dedicated to Serapis
Serapis
Serapis or Sarapis is a Graeco-Egyptian name of God. Serapis was devised during the 3rd century BC on the orders of Ptolemy I of Egypt as a means to unify the Greeks and Egyptians in his realm. The god was depicted as Greek in appearance, but with Egyptian trappings, and combined iconography...
. Details of the temple to Minerva are not known but recent investigations indicate that a small round Minervium once stood a little further to east on the Piazzo of the Collegio Romano. In 1665 an Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
was found, buried in the garden of the Dominican cloister adjacent to the church. Several other small obelisks were found at different times near the church, known as the , which were probably brought to Rome during the first century and grouped in pairs, with others, at the entrances of the temple of Isis.
There are other Roman survivals in the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
. The ruined temple is likely to have lasted until the reign of Pope Zachary
Pope Zachary
Pope Saint Zachary was Pope of the Catholic Church from 741 to 752. A Greek from Calabria, he was the last pope of the Byzantine Papacy...
(741-752), who finally Christianized the site
Christianization
The historical phenomenon of Christianization is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once...
, offering it to Eastern monks. The structure he commissioned has disappeared. In 1255 Pope Alexander I
Pope Alexander I
Pope Saint Alexander I was Bishop of Rome from about 106 to 115. The Holy See's Annuario Pontificio identifies him as a Roman who reigned from 108 or 109 to 116 or 119...
V established a community of converted women there who were later transferred to San Pancrazio thereby allowing the Dominican Friars
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
to obtain the church in 1275. The Dominican Friars made the church and adjoining monastery their headquarters before later establishing it in Santa Sabina
Santa Sabina
The Basilica of Saint Sabina at the Aventine is a titular minor basilica and mother church of the Roman Catholic Dominican order in Rome, Italy. Santa Sabina lies high on the Aventine Hill, beside the Tiber, close to the headquarters of theKnights of Malta....
. The Dominican Order still administers the area today.
The Dominicans began building the present gothic church in 1280, modeling it on their restored church in Florence, the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, following plans seemingly drawn up by two talented Dominican friars, Fra Sisto Fiorentino and Fra Ristoro da Campi, during the pontificate of Nicholas III. With the help of funds contributed by Boniface VIII, this first Gothic church in Rome was completed in 1370. It was renovated by Carlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno was a Swiss-Italian architect, born in Ticino, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica and Sant'Andrea della Valle were of key importance in the evolution of the Italian Baroque...
and others, given a Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
facade, then restored in the 19th century to its present neo-medieval state. The gates are from the 15th century.
The sacristy was the seat of two conclave
Papal conclave
A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...
s. The first, held in the March 1431, elected Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV
Pope Eugene IV , born Gabriele Condulmer, was pope from March 3, 1431, to his death.-Biography:He was born in Venice to a rich merchant family, a Correr on his mother's side. Condulmer entered the Order of Saint Augustine at the monastery of St. George in his native city...
, the second, in March 1447, Pope Nicholas V
Pope Nicholas V
Pope Nicholas V , born Tommaso Parentucelli, was Pope from March 6, 1447 to his death in 1455.-Biography:He was born at Sarzana, Liguria, where his father was a physician...
.
After the condemnation his scientific theses, Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei
Galileo Galilei , was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism...
pronounced the famous abjuration in the church on the 22 June 1633.
The church was elevated to the rank of minor basilica
Minor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
and the first titular was appointed in 1556. The current Cardinal Priest of the Titulus S. Mariae supra Minervam is English
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Cormac Murphy-O'Connor.
Façade
At the end of the 16th Century, Carlo MadernoCarlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno was a Swiss-Italian architect, born in Ticino, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica and Sant'Andrea della Valle were of key importance in the evolution of the Italian Baroque...
gave the church a Baroque facade, then restored in the 19th century to its present neo-medieval state. Another significant feature on the facade are marks which date back to the 16th and 17th centuries which indicate that various floods of the Tiber rose to 65 feet (19.8 m).
Minerva's Pulcino
Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian artist who worked principally in Rome. He was the leading sculptor of his age and also a prominent architect...
(and carried out by his pupil Ercole Ferrata
Ercole Ferrata
Ercole Ferrata was an Italian sculptor of the Roman Baroque.-Biography:A native of Pellio Inferiore, near Como, Ferrata initially apprenticed with Alessandro Algardi, and became one of his prime assistants...
in 1667) of an elephant as the supporting base for the Egyptian obelisk found in the Dominicans' garden. It is the shortest of the eleven Egyptian obelisks in Rome
Obelisks in Rome
The city of Rome harbours the most obelisks in the world. There are eight ancient Egyptian and five ancient Roman obelisks in Rome, together with a number of more modern obelisks; there was also formerly an ancient Ethiopian obelisk in Rome....
and is said to have been one of two obelisks moved from Sais, where they were built during the 589 BC-570 BC reign of the pharaoh Apries
Apries
Apries is the name by which Herodotus and Diodorus designate Wahibre Haaibre, Ουαφρης , a pharaoh of Egypt , the fourth king of the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt. He was equated with the Waphres of Manetho, who correctly records that he reigned for 19 years...
, from the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt
Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt
The Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BC . The Dynasty's reign The Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt (also written Dynasty XXVI or Dynasty 26) was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BC...
. The two obelisks were brought to Rome by Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
, during his reign as emperor from 284 to 305, for placement at the Temple of Isis which stood nearby. The Latin inscription on the base, chosen by the pope who commissioned the sculpture to support the obelisk found on the site, Alexander VII, is said to represent that "...a strong mind is needed to support a solid knowledge".
The inspiration for the unusual composition came from Hypnerotomachia Poliphili
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili , called in English Poliphilo's Strife of Love in a Dream, is a romance said to be by Francesco Colonna and a famous example of early printing...
("Poliphilo's Dream of the Strife of Love"), an unusual 15th century novel probably by Francesco Colonna
Francesco Colonna
Francesco Colonna was an Italian Dominican priest and monk who was credited with the authorship of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili by an acrostic in the text.He lived in Venice, and preached at St. Mark's Cathedral...
. The novel's main character meets an elephant made of stone carrying an obelisk, and the accompanying woodcut illustration in the book is quite similar to Bernini's design for the base for the obelisk. The curious placement of the obelisk through the body of the elephant is identical.
The sturdy appearance of the structure earned it the popular nickname of "Porcino" ("Piggy") for a while. The name for the structure eventually changed to Pulcino, the Italian for a small or little "chick". This may have been a reference to the comparatively short height of the obelisk or, an obscure reference to the major charity of the Dominicans to assist young women needing dowries, who made a procession in the courtyard every year. The latter were once depicted in a local painting as three tiny figures with the Virgin Mary presenting purses to them.
Interior
The nave with its pointed arches is very Gothic in style, making this church unique in Rome. This impression was partially altered by Carlo MadernoCarlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno was a Swiss-Italian architect, born in Ticino, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica and Sant'Andrea della Valle were of key importance in the evolution of the Italian Baroque...
, who added later Baroque elements to the 13th century nave. The stained glass windows are mainly from the 19th century. Although built in Gothic style, the best of its works of art are Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
.
Carafa Chapel
The Carafa ChapelCarafa Chapel
The Carafa Chapel is a chapel in the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, Italy, known for a series of frescoes by Filippino Lippi.-History:...
, with late 15th-century frescoes (1488–1493) by Filippino Lippi, was commissioned by Cardinal Oliviero Carafa
Oliviero Carafa
Oliviero Carafa was an Italian cardinal and diplomat of the Renaissance. Like the majority of his era's prelates, he displayed the lavish and conspicuous standard of living that was expected of a prince of the Church...
in honour of Saint Thomas Aquinas. There are two Marian scenes, the Annunciation and the Assumption; over the altar is his St Thomas presenting Cardinal Carafa to the Blessed Virgin, and on the right-hand wall his Glory of St Thomas. It was inaugurated in 1493, and is also known as the Chapel of St Thomas Aquinas. The relics of St Thomas Aquinas were kept in this chapel until 1511, when they were moved to Naples. Designed by Pirro Ligorio
Pirro Ligorio
Pirro Ligorio was an Italian architect, painter, antiquarian and garden designer.-Biography:Ligorio was born in Naples. In 1534 he moved to Rome, where he developed his interest in antiquities, and was named superintendent to the ancient monuments by the Popes Pius IV and Paul IV...
in 1559, the tomb of Gian Pietro Carafa, who became Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV, C.R. , né Giovanni Pietro Carafa, was Pope from 23 May 1555 until his death.-Early life:Giovanni Pietro Carafa was born in Capriglia Irpina, near Avellino, into a prominent noble family of Naples...
in 1555, is also in the chapel.
Cappella Capranica
The chapel is also known as the Chapel of the Rosary. The stucco ceiling was made in 1573 by Marcello VenustiMarcello Venusti
Marcello Venusti was an Italian Mannnerist painter active in Rome in mid 16th century.Native to Mazzo di Valtellina near Como, he was reputed to have been a pupil of Perino del Vaga. He is known for a scaled copy of the Michelangelo's Last Judgement, commissioned by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese,...
. The chapel contains the tomb of Cardinal Domenico Capranica
Domenico Capranica
Domenico Capranica was an Italian theologian, canonist, statesman, and Cardinal.He was born in Capranica Prenestina. After studies in canon and civil law at Padua and Bologna, under teachers probably including Giuliano Cesarini, he received the title of Doctor of Both Laws at the age of twenty-one...
by Andrea Bregno
Andrea Bregno
Andrea di Cristoforo Bregno was an Italian sculptor and architect of the Early Renaissance who worked in Rome from the 1460s and died just as the High Renaissance was getting under way.-Early life:...
.
Michelangelo's Cristo della Minerva
Cristo della Minerva
The Cristo della Minerva, also known as Christ the Redeemer or Christ Carrying the Cross, is a marble sculpture by the Italian High Renaissance master Michelangelo Buonarroti, finished in 1521...
, also known as Christ the Redeemer or Christ Carrying the Cross, is a marble sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, finished in 1521, located to the left of the main altar.
Cappella Aldobrandini
The Aldobrandini chapel was designed by Giacomo della PortaGiacomo della Porta
Giacomo della Porta was an Italian architect and sculptor, who worked on many important buildings in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica. He was born at Porlezza, Lombardy and died in Rome.-Biography:...
but it is Carlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno
Carlo Maderno was a Swiss-Italian architect, born in Ticino, who is remembered as one of the fathers of Baroque architecture. His façades of Santa Susanna, St. Peter's Basilica and Sant'Andrea della Valle were of key importance in the evolution of the Italian Baroque...
that completed della Porta's project (after 1602). It was consecrated in 1611. The canvas depicting the Institution of the Eucharist and dated from 1594 is by Federico Fiori. The monument to the parents of Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII , born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was Pope from 30 January 1592 to 3 March 1605.-Cardinal:...
, Salvestro Aldobrandini and Luisa Dati, is by Giacomo della Porta
Giacomo della Porta
Giacomo della Porta was an Italian architect and sculptor, who worked on many important buildings in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica. He was born at Porlezza, Lombardy and died in Rome.-Biography:...
. The first Blessed Sacrament Confraternity to be approved by the Holy See was established in this chapel, with St. Ignatius of Loyola as one of its earliest members.
Cappella Raymond of Penyafort
The chapel dedicated to Raymond of Penyafort houses the tomb of Cardinal Juan Diego de Coca, by Andrea BregnoAndrea Bregno
Andrea di Cristoforo Bregno was an Italian sculptor and architect of the Early Renaissance who worked in Rome from the 1460s and died just as the High Renaissance was getting under way.-Early life:...
. The ceiling fresco Jesus Christ as a Judge, between two angels is by Melozzo da Forlì
Melozzo da Forlì
Melozzo da Forlì was an Italian Renaissance painter and architect. His fresco paintings are notable for the use of foreshortening. He was the most important member of the Forlì painting school.- Biography :...
.
Other major artworks
- Annunciation (1485), by Antoniazzo RomanoAntoniazzo RomanoAntoniazzo Romano, born Antonio di Benedetto Aquilo degli Aquili was an Italian Early Renaissance painter, the leading figure of the Roman school during the 15th century.-Biography:...
- shows Cardinal Juan de TorquemadaJuan de Torquemada (Cardinal)Juan de Torquemada , or rather Johannes de Turrecremata, Spanish ecclesiastic, was born at Valladolid, and was educated in that city....
OP presenting girls who received a dowryDowryA dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
by his Guild of the Annunciation to the Virgin. The cardinal is buried nearby. - The tombs of the Popes Leo X and Clement VII by Antonio da Sangallo the YoungerAntonio da Sangallo the Youngerthumb|250px|The church of Santa Maria di Loreto near the [[Trajan's Market]] in [[Rome]], considered Sangallo's masterwork.thumb|250px|View of St. Patrick's Well in [[Orvieto]]....
. - Tomb of Urban VII
- Tomb of Fra AngelicoFra AngelicoFra Angelico , born Guido di Pietro, was an Early Italian Renaissance painter described by Vasari in his Lives of the Artists as having "a rare and perfect talent"...
, by Isaia da Pisa (1455) - Tomb of Guillaume DurandGuillaume DurandGuillaume Durand, or William Durand, , also known as Durandus, Duranti or Durantis, from the Italian form of Durandi filius, as he sometimes signed himself, was a French canonist and liturgical writer, and Bishop of Mende.-Life:He was born at Puimisson, near Béziers, of a noble family of Languedoc...
the Elder, bishop on Mende, signed by Giovanni di Cosma (1296) - Memorial to Maria RaggiMemorial to Maria Raggi (Bernini)The Memorial to Maria Raggi is a sculptural monument designed and executed by the Italian artist Gianlorenzo Bernini, between 1647 and 1653. The monument is attached to a pillar in a nave of the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome.-Maria Raggi:...
, by Gian Lorenzo BerniniGian Lorenzo BerniniGian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian artist who worked principally in Rome. He was the leading sculptor of his age and also a prominent architect...
(between 1647-53) - Tomb of Francesco Tornabuoni (1480), one of the best works by Mino da FiesoleMino da FiesoleMino da Fiesole , also known as Mino di Giovanni, was an Italian sculptor from Poppi, Tuscany. He is noted for his portrait busts.-Career:...
Burials
Saint Catherine of SienaCatherine of Siena
Saint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D, was a tertiary of the Dominican Order, and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. She was proclaimed a Doctor...
is buried here (except her head, which is in the Basilica of San Domenico
Basilica of San Domenico (Siena)
The Basilica of San Domenico, also known as Basilica Cateriniana, is a basilica church in Siena, Tuscany, Italy, one of the most important in the city.-Overview:...
in Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
). Beyond the sacristy, the room where she died in 1380 was reconstructed here by Antonio Barberini
Antonio Barberini
Antonio Barberini was an Italian Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Reims, military leader, patron of the arts and a prominent member of the House of Barberini. As one of the cardinal-nephews of Pope Urban VIII and a supporter of France, he played a significant role at a number of the papal...
in 1637. This room is the first transplanted interior, and the progenitor of familiar 19th and 20th century museum "period rooms." The fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es by Antoniazzo Romano
Antoniazzo Romano
Antoniazzo Romano, born Antonio di Benedetto Aquilo degli Aquili was an Italian Early Renaissance painter, the leading figure of the Roman school during the 15th century.-Biography:...
that decorated the original walls, however, are now lost.
The famous early Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
painter Fra Angelico
Fra Angelico
Fra Angelico , born Guido di Pietro, was an Early Italian Renaissance painter described by Vasari in his Lives of the Artists as having "a rare and perfect talent"...
died in the adjoining convent, and is buried here also, as is Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV, C.R. , né Giovanni Pietro Carafa, was Pope from 23 May 1555 until his death.-Early life:Giovanni Pietro Carafa was born in Capriglia Irpina, near Avellino, into a prominent noble family of Naples...
and the Medici
Medici
The House of Medici or Famiglia de' Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside,...
popes Leo X and Clement VII.
Before the construction of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini
San Giovanni dei Fiorentini
San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, St John of the Florentines, is a church in the Ponte rione or district of Rome. Dedicated to St John the Baptist, the protector of Florence, the new church for the Florentine community in Rome was started in the 16th century and completed in early eighteenth and is the...
, the Minerva was the church of the Florentine nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
, and therefore it houses numerous tombs of prelates, nobles and citizens coming from that Tuscan
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
city. Curiously, Diotisalvi Neroni
Diotisalvi Neroni
thumb|250px|Portrait of Diotsalvi Neroni from a nineteenth century engraving.Diotisalvi Neroni was an Italian politician.-Biography:Born in Florence, he was appointed to numerous important positions in that city...
, a refugee who had taken part in the plot against Piero de' Medici
Piero de' Medici
Piero de' Medici may refer to:*Piero di Cosimo de' Medici , father of Lorenzo the Magnificent...
, was buried here in 1482, and was later joined by other members of the family. Also buried here are Pope Urban VII
Pope Urban VII
Pope Urban VII , born Giovanni Battista Castagna, was Pope for thirteen days in September 1590. He was of Genoese origin, although born in Rome. He was created Cardinal-Priest of S. Marcello in 1584...
; Latino Malabranca Orsini
Latino Malabranca Orsini
Latino Malabranca Orsini was an Italian Cardinal-nephew of Pope Nicholas III.He was son of Roman senator Angelo Malabranca and Mabilia Orsini, sister of Pope Nicholas III. He entered the Order of Preachers in his youth and studied law at University of Paris. He obtained the titles of doctor in law...
; Michel Mazarin (Archbishop of Aix) who was the brother of Cardinal Jules Mazarin; George of Trebizond
George of Trebizond
George of Trebizond was a Greek philosopher and scholar, one of the pioneers of the Renaissance.-Life:He was born on the island of Crete, and derived his surname Trapezuntius from the fact that his ancestors were from Trebizond.At what period he came to Italy is not certain; according to some...
; and Filarete
Filarete
Antonio di Pietro Averlino , also "Averulino", known as Filarete was an Italian Renaissance architect, sculptor and architectural theorist from Florence. He is perhaps best remembered for his design of the ideal city of Sforzinda, the first ideal city plan of the Renaissance.-Biography:Antonio di...
.
List of cardinal-priests from Santa Maria sopra Minerva
|
Antonio Francesco Orioli Antonio Francesco Orioli O.F.M.Conv. was a cardinal of the Catholic Church.... Gaetano Bedini Gaetano Bedini was an Italian ecclesiastic, Cardinal and diplomat of the Catholic Church.- Biography :Bedini was born in Senigallia into the peasant Bedini family of Ostra, the son of Alessandro Pellegrino and Marianna Spadoni.Last of 7 sons, Bedini was destined by his father to be a priest... Zeferino González y Díaz Tuñón Zeferino González was a Spanish Dominican theologian, and philosopher, Archbishop of Seville and Cardinal.-Life:... Serafino Cretoni Serafino Cretoni was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Rites from 1903 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1896.-Biography:... Teodoro Valfre di Bonzo Teodoro Valfre di Bonzo J.C.D. S.T.D. was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and was former Prefect of Sacred Congregation of Religious.... Stanislas Touchet Stanislas-Arthur-Xavier Touchet was a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Bishop of Orléans from 1894 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1922.-Biography:... Giuseppe Gamba Giuseppe Gamba was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and an Archbishop of Turin.Giuseppe Gamba was born in Asti, Italy and was educated at the local Seminary of Asti... Giulio Serafini Giulio Serafini, J.U.D. was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as President of the Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of Code of Canon Law and Prefect of the Congregation of the Council.... Clemente Micara Clemente Micara was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Vicar General of Rome from 1951 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1946.-Biography:... Dino Staffa Dino Staffa was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura from 1967 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967.-Early life and ordination:... Anastasio Ballestrero Anastasio Alberto Ballestrero, OCD was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Turin from 1977 to 1989, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1979.-Biography:... |
Other churches with this name
In AssisiAssisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
, another church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva was built in the 16th century within the surviving cella
Cella
A cella or naos , is the inner chamber of a temple in classical architecture, or a shop facing the street in domestic Roman architecture...
of a late Republican temple of Minerva. Its Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
portico still stands.
External links
Santa Maria sopra Minerva: official site- June Hager, "Santa Maria sopra Minerva"
- M.P. Pollett, "Curious and unusual: Minerva's Chick": Bernini's elephant and its Roman nickname
- Woodcut elephant that inspired Bernini
- http://romanchurches.wikia.com/wiki/Santa_Maria_sopra_Minerva