San Martino ai Monti

The Basilica of Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti (Latin: Sanctorum Silvestri et martini in Montibus ), more commonly San Martino ai Monti, is a church in Rome. It is at the rank of a Minor Basilica, and is also titular church of the Roman Catholic Church. She is also the parish church and monastery church of the Discalced Carmelites. It was built over one of the oldest Christian places of worship in Rome and contains some important frescoes.

Location

The church is located in the Rione Monti I. Roman about 600 meters northeast of the Coliseum. It is located on the Mons Oppius, the southern foothills of the Esquiline. From this position, she has her nickname ai monti.

History and Architectural History

The core of the system is an early Christian house church dating from the 3rd century. It is not entirely clear how this building called the lying here, very old titulus Silvestri, also titulus Equitii, related. Pope Sylvester I was in the 4th century following build a new church on this building, this building was followed in the early 6th century another building; It was built under Pope Symmachus. He consecrated the church and the two saints in the title of the church ever since. The up to now recognizable structural basic structure of the building was ultimately in the Carolingian period; it is in the acquisition of karolinigschen Renovatio in a row with other buildings such as Santi Quattro Coronati or San Giorgio in Velabro. Approximately 847 work began under Pope Sergius II, they were concluded during the pontificate of Pope Leo IV The current design of the interior owes the church re- construction of the Baroque from around in 1650. Executive architect Pietro da Cortona was. The facade was completed in 1676, only the magnificent wooden coffered ceiling inside the church is younger; it originated in the late 18th century.

Facade and Exterior

The facade is organized first two floors and five-axis machining. The two outer axes of the design of the surface almost unadorned, only a small transversely oval window on the lower floor and a larger simple, captured on each with a relief, flanked by two small windows on the upper floor, break through the wall. The inner three axes are structured with a two -tiered program of pilasters and cornices. In the wall surfaces of the two axes of the side of the main axis of the church cartridge are inserted on the lower floor reliefs on the upper floor, the surfaces contain the attributes of the two saints. Access is designed as Ädikulaportal, the upper floor contains a round-arched window with a broken pediment segment. The simple triangular pediment of the facade is again broken by a transverse oval window.

On the back of the church, the typical Carolingian massive brick wall, the apse falls on, the choir stands on ancient Roman foundations, in the right outer wall antique masonry can be seen from tuff.

Interior and equipment

When the church was equipped throughout also in Baroque, yet the Carolingian basic structure can be read off the proportions of the interior. The high and wide nave is separated to the side aisles by a row of columns. The columns 24 used for this purpose with Corinthian capitals are antique. Enter the straight architrave above which the high walls are richly structured. Between the fluted pilasters alternating with painted windows caves architecture representations and above this round reliefs and the window with the pre- hidden little balustrades (so-called Corretti ) are inserted. The middle window also contain flanking columns. The third type of wall design eventually form niches with statues of saints. The broad apse is lit by side windows.

To the high altar, which stands on the included as Confessio early Christian church, make two lateral staircases. The Tabernacle is also a work da Cortona.

The church is art-historically significant because of its frescoes. The frescoes of the right aisle were executed by Gaspare Dughet, he was a pupil of Nicolas Poussin. Although they are actually represents a religious theme, the life of the prophet Elijah, but are mainly known for their landscapes. It is the first independent representations of landscapes, here the idealized Campagna Romana, a Roman church.

The left aisle contains three large frescoes from the 16th century by an unknown hand, representing the interior of St. Peter's, the Lateran Basilica and the church of San Giovanni in Laterano in their former state. However, doubts about the documentary value of the fresco have since arisen on the latter presentation.

In the crypt there are the relics of the saints venerated here. In it, and in the early Christian house church remains of mosaics and frescoes can be seen from the 6th to the 9th century.

On the grounds of the church a small reliquary was found. It dates from the 4th century and is one of the very rare traditional goldsmith's work of antiquity. There is a silver shrine with gilding, according to the inscription donated as a gift to the wedding of a patrician Proiekta with her Secundus. It is now in the British Museum in London.