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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.
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