Of all the great Roman Churches and basilicas the Church
of St Mary Major Rome enjoys the most successful blend of
different architectural styles. Its colonnaded triple nave
is part of the original 5th Century building. The Cosmatesque
marble floor and delightful Romanesque bell tower, with
its blue ceramic roundels, are from the medieval period.
The Renaissance saw a new coffered ceiling, and the baroque
gave the church twin domes and its most imposing front and
rear facades. The mosaics are St Mary Major's most famous
feature. From the 5th century come the biblical scenes in
the nave and the spectacular mosaics on the triumphal arch.
Medieval highlights include a 13th century enthroned Christ
in the loggia. The church of Santa Maria Maggiore is also
famous for its' excesses and instigated some violent demonstrations
by the protestants who vehemently opposed the decoration
of the entire ceiling with gold leaf when thousands were
starving... Today, the church remains one of Rome's most
fascinating churches and is well worth a visit.
Did
you Know? The whole of the ceiling
above the nave and loggia was completely covered in gold
and gold leaf. This caused consternation amongst christian
groups and events like this and others gave rise to the
protestant faith who "protested" against the excesses
of the Catholic Church in Rome.
