The church of Santa Maria della Pace is located in the Via della Pace in the historical Ponte district in Rome. Next to the church is Bramante’s Cloister, which is used as a museum.
Santa Maria della Pace Church Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address: Arco della Pace, 5 – Rome. Opening hours: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 09.00 till 11.45. Admission: Free.
History and description
The Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace was built around the year 1480, when Sixtus IV was Pope.
The church is attributed to Baccio Pontelli, who united the rectangular room in the front part with Bramante‘s original dome. This front part consists of a nave with cross vaults.
Pope Alexander VII had Pietro da Cortona restore the church in 1656. The architect added the Baroque convex facade and the semi-circular Dorian columns surrounding the front square.
Works of art in Santa Maria della Pace
The high altar enframing the Madonna and Child icon was done by Carlo Maderno in 1614.
The Chigi Chapel: contains the fresco Four Sibyls Receiving Angelic Instruction painted by Raphael and commissioned by the papal banker Agostino Chigi. Other works in this chapel are Cosimo Fancelli’s Deposition (over the altar), Christ Supported by Angels (a bronze, also by Fancelli) and Ercole Ferrata’s Saint Bernardino. The Saint Catherine on the other side of the bronze is again by Fancelli.
Cesi Chapel: The 2nd chapel on the right was designed by Antonio Sangallo the Younger. The frescoes Creation of Eve and Original Sin are by Rosso Fiorentino and Simone Mosca was responsible for the Renaissance decoration on the external arch.
Ponzetti Chapel: First one on the left, with frescoes by Baldassare Peruzzi.
The marble used in the second chapel on the left was taken from the ruins of the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus.
Chiostro di Bramante
Bramante’s Cloister, was built between 1500 and 1504, for Cardinal Oliviero Carafa. At the moment, it is being used as a museum.