The Sant’Onofrio al Gianicolo Church is located in the Trastevere district of Rome. In addition to the church itself, there is also a monastery and a small museum dedicated to the poet Torquato Tasso.
Sant’Onofrio al Gianicolo Church Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
The address of Chiesa di Sant’Onofrio al Gianicolo is Piazza Sant’Onofrio 2 – 00185 Rome (tel. +39 066864498). Bus: 23, 115, 116, 280, 870, N11. Opening Hours: Monday to Friday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm. Closed: Saturday, August. Entrance is free. During mass (10.00 and 12.00 hours on weekends) the church may not be visited.
History and description
Nicola da Forca Palena had a hermit’s residence built in 1419. The money for the construction came from donations by believers. Later, a monastery and the Sant’Onofrio Church were added to the original building.
You first have to climb a few steps to get to the colonnade that covers the entrance to the monastery and the church. This gallery is decorated with frescoes painted by Domenichino.
The fountain dedicated to Tasso in 1924 was made of material from a fountain in Piazza Giudea. In 1930 this fountain, with its original materials, was rebuilt in Piazza delle Cinque Scole. The fountain in front of the Sant’Onofrio Church was completely reconstructed.
Tourist Attractions
Domenichino‘s frescoes in the colonnade leading to the church.
Giuseppe de Fabris made the Monument to Torquato Tasso in 1875 (1st chapel on the right).
Tasso died in the monastery on 25 April 1595. The room where he breathed his last breath was turned into a museum. There are old editions of his books, but also a death mask and the stone that lay on his grave before he was moved to the aforementioned monument. The museum, together with the monastery and the beautiful cloister, can only be visited by appointment (tel. +39 066877341 – 347, Tuesday 16.00-18.00 hours).
In 1949 Garibaldi needed lead in order to make bullets and came to the church to claim the bells. When the abbot told him that one of these bells was ringing when Tasso died, he left without having accomplished his mission.