Basilica di Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Rome

The sacred church is symbolically located amidst the landscape of ancient Rome, where you can see a blending of Renaissance Rome and the Vittoriano of contemporary Rome.

Legend says that the Aracoeli was built according to a wish of Augustus on the site where Tiburtine Sibyl prophesied the coming of Christ. Rebuilt by Franciscans in the 13th century in a less Romanesque and more gothic style, the shrine became the centre of religious and civil life in the city during the Middle Ages.

Today, the basilica is home to a number of precious works of art from different periods. The principal pieces are the delicate mosaics which adorn the apse, the floor and the facade, laid by Cosmati, and the splendid frescoes, relating the story of San Bernardino by master painter Pinturicchio (15th century). The relics of Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great are also housed at Santa Maria in Aracoeli.

Don’t miss an opportunity to appreciate an excellent example of artistic and architectural heritage, only found in Santa Maria in Aracoeli!