Santa Maria dei Miracoli andSanta Maria di Montesanto are twochurches in Rome.
They are located on thePiazza del Popolo, facing the northern gate of theAurelian Walls, at the entrance ofVia del Corso on the square. The churches are often cited as "twin", due to their similar external appearance: they have indeed some differences, in both plan and exterior details.
Looking from the square, the two churches define the so-called "trident" of streets departing from Piazza del Popolo: starting from the left,Via del Babuino, Via del Corso andVia di Ripetta. The first two are separated by Santa Maria in Montesanto, the latter by Santa Maria dei Miracoli.
The origin of the two churches traces back to the 17th-century restoration of what was the main entrance to theMiddle Ages andRenaissance Rome, from theVia Flaminia (known asVia Lata andVia del Corso in its urban trait).Pope Alexander VII commissioned the monumental design of the entrance of Via del Corso to architectCarlo Rainaldi. This included two churches with central plans, but the different shapes of the two areas available forced deep modifications to the projects.
Both were financed by cardinalGirolamo Gastaldi, whose crest is present in the two churches.
| Santa Maria dei Miracoli | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Click on the map for a fullscreen view | |
| 41°54′35″N12°28′35″E / 41.90985°N 12.47645°E /41.90985; 12.47645 | |
| Location | Piazza del Popolo, Rome |
| Country | Italy |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1675 |
| Completed | 1681 |
Santa Maria dei Miracoli was begun in 1675 and finished in 1681. With a circular plan, it has an elegant 18th-century bell tower byGirolamo Theodoli and an octagonal cupola. The interior has a richstucco decoration byAntonio Raggi, Bernini's pupil. The monuments for Cardinals Benedetto and Gastaldi were designed byCarlo Fontana, who also provided design for the cupola and the lamp. The busts in bronze were completed byGirolamo Lucenti.[1]
At the high altar is the miraculous image of the Virgin which has given the church its name. The first chapel on the right-hand side has an altar dedicated toOur Lady of Bétharram, named after a shrine near Lourdes. TheSociety of Priests of the Sacred Heart was founded atBétharram. There is a reproduction ofRenoir's Madonna at Bétharram.
Santa Maria in Montesanto, erected over a church with the same name that lay at the beginning of Via del Babuino, was occupied by Carmelite friars. The name Montesanto (Holy Mountain) referred toMount Carmel inIsrael. The construction of the present church was begun on July 15, 1662, under the patronage of Cardinal Girolamo Gastaldi, and finished in 1675, with other additions by 1679. Originally designed byCarlo Rainaldi, the plans were revised byGian Lorenzo Bernini, and ultimately completed byCarlo Fontana. A belfry was added in the 18th century. The statues of saints on the exterior have been attributed to Bernini's design. The interior has an elliptical plan, with a dodecagonal cupola. In 1825, the church was made a minor basilica.
On August 10, 1904,Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII, was ordained to the priesthood byPatriarch Giuseppe Ceppetelli in this church.[2]In 1953, Monsignor Ennio Francia established the tradition of the Mass of the Artists. On the last Sunday of October till June 29, a mass is held every Sunday with a reading by an artist, and animated by music. At the end of the mass, a prayer for the artists is read.[3] For these reasons the Montesanto church is also called theChurch of the Artists.
The first chapel to the left is the cappella di Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy). The second chapel is dedicated to Santa MariaMagdalena de Pazzi, designed by Carlo Rainaldi to honor the Carmelite nun canonized by Pope Clemente XI in 1669. The ceiling and the altarpiece of theMiracle of the saint (c. 1685) was painted byLudovico Gimignani.
The third chapel is thecappella Montioni. The Monitoni family commissioned the design byTommaso Mattei, pupil ofCarlo Fontana. The altarpiece of theMadonna with Child and Saints Francis and Jacob (c. 1687) was completed byCarlo Maratta. TheAssumption fresco was painted byGiuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari. Upon the altar is a modern statue of theAngel for the artists by Guelfo (1937–1997). At one time, the sacristy held frescoes byBaciccia.
The presbytery is stuccoed with angels byFilippo Carcani and houses the miraculous 15th-century altarpiece ofVirgin of Montesanto, which tradition holds was painted by an 11-year-old girl. The sacristy has a frescoed vault with angels and theinstruments of passion, the altarpiece of theDeposition(c. 1600) is attributed toBiagio Puccini.[4]
Media related toSanta Maria dei Miracoli e Santa Maria in Montesanto (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri | Landmarks of Rome Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto | Succeeded by Santa Maria in Cosmedin |
