Friday, February 13, 2015

San Clemente

where: Via Labicana, 95
open: 9:00-12:30 & 15:00-18:00
getting there: a short walk from metro linea B Colosseo towards San Giovanni in Laterano
cost: free to visit the church, tickets can be bought inside the church to visit the excavations below
information: definitely NO photography inside the church

Only a ten minute stroll from the Colosseum is San Clemente, a 12th century minor basilica dedicated to Pope Saint Clement I (who was the third bishop of Rome) and built over the remains of a 4th century church and the ruins of an alleyway, house, and mithraeum from the 1st century. 

In the 18th century Pope Clement XI commissioned a new facade and the restorations of the church began. Some of the gilded ceilings, paintings, stuccoes and frescoes date from this period.
Above the nave, in between the windows, are fresco panels by Sebastiano Conca, Giovanni Odazzi, Tommaso Chiari and Pierleone Ghezzi.
The apse mosaics, the Triumph of the Cross, date from the 12th century.
The ceiling fresco panel of the Apotheosis of St Clement is by Giuseppe Chiari.
The Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary has an altarpiece by Sebastiano Conca depicting Our Lady of the Rosary with Saints Dominic and Catherine of Sienna.

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Helpful Hints

Getting Around

I found walking Rome was the best way to see everything.

The metro, trams and buses are also an easy and cheap option.

Buses and the metro can get crowded. Tickets must be bought before boarding and validated.

Beware of pickpockets.

Buses 40 (express) and 64 start at Termini and end near Saint Peter's, traveling past places of interest, returning the same way.


Some stops along the 64 route are:

Repubblica

Piazza Venezia

Via Nazionale

Corso Vittorio Emanuele II


Bus 75 takes you past the Colosseum to Trastevere

Bus 910 takes you to Villa Borghese


Ticket Options

€1.50 B.I.T (Biglietto Integrato a Tempo) is the standard ticket valid for one metro, unlimited tram or bus rides within 100 minutes.


€7.00 B.I.G ( Biglietto Integrato a Giornaliero) is a daily ticket valid for unlimited metro, tram, bus and train travel within Rome.


Purchasing Bus and Metro tickets.

Newsstands, train stations, metro stations, kiosks with the ATAC logo and tabacchi shops sell tickets for the metro, trams and buses.

Large fines apply to travelers not holding or validating their ticket. Tickets once validated start from the time they have been stamped.






These are a few of my favourite books about Rome

The Cardinal's Hat by Mary Hollingsworth
This book tells the story of one of the sons of Lucrezia Borgia who became a cardinal during the 16th century.

The Tigress of Forli by Elizabeth Lev
I love this book telling the story of Caterina Sforza who was fighting against the Borgia pope to retain the rights of her land and her freedom.

The Popes by John Julius Norwich
A detailed but easy and enjoyable book to read about the history of the papacy and the popes.

The Pope's Daughter by Caroline P Murphy
This book describes in beautiful detail, the life and times of Pope Julius II daughter, Felice della Rovere.

The Families Who Made Rome by Anthony Majanlahti
I love this Book! It explains the families who made Rome what it is as we see it today and also looks at their triumphs, scandals and failures.

Rome by Robert Hughes
This book explains Rome from its beginning and expands on the Renaissance and Baroque until present times.

The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr
Another of my favourite reads about a lost Caravaggio painting and the search for its provenance.





other sites I trust for information on Rome are:
Rome Art Lover
Churches of Rome wiki