Today my Survey of Art and Architecture class took me to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. This is apparently one of the oldest churches in Rome and by extension the world. It was founded here based on a legend that in 30 BC a stream of oil sprung up from the ground, which led people to believe that the land was sacred. The basilica was built after the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in 300 AD. The entrance is dotted with marble slabs from persecuted Christians buried in the catacombs beneath the city, as seen below.
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| The apse, decorated with 12th century mosaic |
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| A chapel built as an afterthought form the aisles of the Basilica |
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| The inlaid marble floor, in a special pattern known as a Cosmati Floor |
The twenty two columns that line the nave of the basilica are actually all mismatched as they were recycled (read: stolen) from other parts of the city. The color, height, and width of the columns, the type of capital (the decorative top), and the bases are all different, which makes it the room feel uncomfortable. You can also see a bit of the frieze running on top of it, an unending golden vine which signifies the unending and undying church.
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| The heavily remodeled ceiling |
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| A cardinal seal that my friend pointed out looks like the Pizza Hut logo |
This is a picture of the Virgin Mary painted on wood. This is estimated to be one of the earliest and most enduring images of Mary, which is impressive despite the obvious deterioration. What is interesting is that Mary is dressed less like a poor woman and more like a queen. It's theorized that this was to reinforce the "king of kings" concept regarding Jesus as well as a love of the virgin mother.
Unbelievable. I can't imagine what it look like in person.
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