The San Salvatore in Lauro Church is located in the Ponte district in the center of Rome.
San Salvatore in Lauro Church Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address: Piazza di San Salvatore in Lauro, 15 – Rome (tel. +39 06 6875187). Opening times: 09,00 till 12.00 and 15.00 till 19.00. Admission: Free.
History and description
It supposedly gets its name from a laurel tree that used to exist nearby.
Saint Salvatore at the Laurels, which is the national church of the Marchigiani (people from the Marche region) in Rome, was annexed to the convent of Saint George that had been constructed by commission of Latino Orsini in the 15th century.
There already used to be a church here in the 11th century, but in 1591 this was destroyed in a fire. The convent did survive the fire, however.
The present church was built in the late 16th century and is mostly the work of the architect Ottaviano Mascherino (who is also known for having designed the Quirinale), although the facade was done later by Camillo Guglielmetti. The bas-relief of the Holy House of Nazareth at the top is by Rinaldo Rinaldi.
In 1668 the church and convent became property of the Pious Association of the Piceni (Pio Sodalizio dei Piceni), who are also the present owners.
In 2009 the church received a relic of Pope Pius IX (who was from the Marche) as a gift.
Works of art San Salvatore in Lauro Church
The 18th century main altar by Ludovico Rusconi Sassi.
Pietro da Cortona is responsible for a Nativity.
The fresco cycle, mannerist in style, in the refectory is by Francesco Salviato and was made in the 16th century.
The tomb of Pope Eugene IV, also in the refectory, was created by Isia da Pisa (15th century). It was originally placed in the first Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Giovanni Dalmata made the funerary monument for Maddalena Orsini.
At the moment the convent and its Renaissance cloister are being used for exhibitions and other cultural events.