Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere

Top choice in Trastevere & Gianicolo


Nestled in a quiet corner of Trastevere's focal square, this is said to be the oldest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome. In its original form, it dates from the early 3rd century, but a major 12th-century makeover saw the addition of a Romanesque bell tower and a glittering facade. The portico came later, added by Carlo Fontana in 1702. Inside, the 12th-century mosaics are the headline feature.

In the apse, look out for Christ and his mother flanked by various saints and, on the far left, Pope Innocent II holding a model of the church. Beneath this are six mosaics by Pietro Cavallini illustrating the life of the Virgin (c 1291).

According to legend, the church stands on the spot where a fountain of oil miraculously sprang from the ground in 32 BC. It incorporates 24 ancient Roman columns, some plundered from the Terme di Caracalla, and boasts a 17th-century wooden ceiling.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Trastevere & Gianicolo attractions

1. Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere

0.02 MILES

Trastevere’s focal square is a prime people-watching spot. By day it’s full of chatting locals and guidebook-toting tourists; by night it’s the domain of…

2. Museo di Roma in Trastevere

0.05 MILES

Housed in a 17th-century Carmelite convent, this museum hosts excellent temporary photography exhibitions. Upstairs the permanent collection contains a…

3. Piazza Trilussa

0.16 MILES

Right where the cute little Ponte Sisto pedestrian bridge crosses the Tiber, this small square is a fine entrance to Trastevere. The star attraction is…

5. Porta Settimiana

0.21 MILES

Resembling a crenellated keep, Porta Settimiana marks the start of Via della Lungara, the 16th-century road that connects Trastevere with the Borgo. It…

6. Torre degli Anguillara

0.23 MILES

Dating to the Middle Ages, this tower was part of the fortified holdings of the powerful Anguillara clan, which ruled this part of Rome until the 15th…

7. Villa Farnesina

0.29 MILES

The interior of this gorgeous 16th-century villa is fantastically frescoed from top to bottom. Several paintings in the Loggia of Cupid and Psyche and the…

8. Galleria Corsini

0.29 MILES

Once home to Queen Christina of Sweden, whose bedroom reputedly witnessed a steady stream of male and female lovers, the 16th-century Palazzo Corsini was…