This week, my Renaissance Rome and its Monuments class went to the church of Santa Maria Aracoeli on the Capitoline Hill. It's a beautiful church that's been there since its foundation was laid in 574 AD. There are so many different styles in the church it's hard to focus. There are a ton of chandeliers and paintings, mosaics, side chapels, and recycled stone columns and flooring. It's definitely impressive. Legend has it that the senate wanted to declare Augustus a god but he was uncomfortable with the idea so he went to his imperial palace on the site of the church today to meditate. With the help of the Tiburtine sybil, Augustus had a vision that a woman with a child said, "this child shall be greater than you". This vision made him realize that he couldn't be a god and he dedicated the site of the church to "the lady in heaven" that he had seen in his vision, supposedly on December 25.
Our teacher was really interested in the frescoes by Pinturecchio, one of the most sought-after 15th century painters. The chapel with the frescoes depicts St. Benadino, a franciscan saint.
Also important is the tomb of Bishop Crevalli, carved by Donatello in the 1430s.
Santa Maria dates back to the 340s AD. Behind the altar are mosaics by Pietro Cavallini. It's a beautiful church and we enjoyed seeing it.
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