Rome, Italy -- Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri
Jan 27, 2021 18:06:36 #
Rome, Italy -- Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri
In 2006, the college chorus I was a member of took a concert tour of Italy. One of the cities visited was Rome (of course!). We toured many fine churches in that city, one of which was the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, which was built in the 16th Century within the ruins of the Roman Baths of Diocletian in the Piazza della Repubblica. In 1561, Pope Pius IV ordered the church to be dedicated to "the Most Blessed Virgin of all the Angels and Martyrs".
Pope Clement XI commissioned the astronomer, mathematician, archaeologist, historian and philosopher Francesco Bianchini to build a meridian line, a sort of sundial, within the basilica. Completed in 1702, the object had a threefold purpose: to check the accuracy of the Gregorian reformation of the calendar, to produce a tool to predict Easter exactly, and, not least, to give Rome a meridian line as important as the one Giovanni Domenico Cassini had recently built in Bologna's cathedral, San Petronio. This feature is a major tourist attraction. Around noon each day, the Sun shines through a small hole in the south wall, casting a small circle of light onto the Meridian, which is marked with the dates.
These photos have had minimal post-processing.
Exterior views
DSC_0778.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
DSC_0780.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the entrance)
Interior views
DSC_0781.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the dome)
DSC_0782.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
DSC_0788.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
DSC_0790.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (an Altar)
DSC_0789.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
DSC_0785.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the Great Organ)
DSC_0797.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the famous Meridian)
DSC_0799.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the hole through which the Sun shines)
In 2006, the college chorus I was a member of took a concert tour of Italy. One of the cities visited was Rome (of course!). We toured many fine churches in that city, one of which was the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, which was built in the 16th Century within the ruins of the Roman Baths of Diocletian in the Piazza della Repubblica. In 1561, Pope Pius IV ordered the church to be dedicated to "the Most Blessed Virgin of all the Angels and Martyrs".
Pope Clement XI commissioned the astronomer, mathematician, archaeologist, historian and philosopher Francesco Bianchini to build a meridian line, a sort of sundial, within the basilica. Completed in 1702, the object had a threefold purpose: to check the accuracy of the Gregorian reformation of the calendar, to produce a tool to predict Easter exactly, and, not least, to give Rome a meridian line as important as the one Giovanni Domenico Cassini had recently built in Bologna's cathedral, San Petronio. This feature is a major tourist attraction. Around noon each day, the Sun shines through a small hole in the south wall, casting a small circle of light onto the Meridian, which is marked with the dates.
These photos have had minimal post-processing.
Exterior views
DSC_0778.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
DSC_0780.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the entrance)
Interior views
DSC_0781.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the dome)
DSC_0782.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
DSC_0788.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
DSC_0790.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (an Altar)
DSC_0789.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
DSC_0785.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the Great Organ)
DSC_0797.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the famous Meridian)
DSC_0799.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr (the hole through which the Sun shines)
Jan 27, 2021 18:52:11 #
Jan 27, 2021 18:52:33 #
Jan 27, 2021 20:24:25 #
Longshadow, thanks for the thumb!
NMGal, I'm pleased you liked it. Thanks.
NMGal, I'm pleased you liked it. Thanks.
Jan 27, 2021 20:50:22 #
Jan 27, 2021 21:15:42 #
Terrific compositions and history David...all your presentations are excellent and not to be missed!! 
Jan 27, 2021 21:18:04 #
Thanks, Mike! (By "series" do you mean the 2 sets I posted of Rome churches?) I am pleased you liked them. (I posted another just now of miscellaneous churcch exteriors.)
Hi, jederick! Thanks for the nice comment and the 2 thumbs! I do what I can.
Hi, jederick! Thanks for the nice comment and the 2 thumbs! I do what I can.
Jan 28, 2021 01:35:44 #
Jan 28, 2021 02:40:05 #
Ourspolair wrote:
Thank you very much. And you're welcome.And another great series (this topic). Many thanks for sharing.
Jan 28, 2021 07:15:03 #
Very nicely done, David. I really have been enjoying your grand churches series.
Jan 28, 2021 08:11:48 #
Jan 28, 2021 08:12:44 #
Jan 28, 2021 08:46:49 #
Joe, nice to see you. Thanks for the nice comment. I'm happy you are enjoying my efforts.
Jay, thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it.
adedeluca, I don't think I've seen you before--thanks for coming and the nice words. I'm pleased you liked it.
Jay, thank you very much! I'm glad you liked it.
adedeluca, I don't think I've seen you before--thanks for coming and the nice words. I'm pleased you liked it.
Jan 28, 2021 08:51:17 #
Jan 28, 2021 08:55:58 #
blacks2 wrote:
Thank you very much for the 5 thumbs! I'm pleased you liked it.Beautiful David.
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