Reason #5363 to love Rome: Santa Prassede church

Santa Prassede, RomeThere are so many beautiful churches in Rome, that first-time visitors are often left exhausted and overwhelmed by all they have seen. Still, once you’ve seen the most famous, it’s worth the effort to visit some of the spectacular but less-frequented churches around the Eternal City.

One exceptional church tucked away on a side street, close to the much more visited Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, is Santa Prassede (Saint Praxades). One could be forgiven for unwittingly passing this church by – it barely stands out from the surrounding houses.

Yet missing out on a visit to this gem of a church would be a real mistake. Despite its simple exterior, the Byzantine mosaics on display here are well worth the visit.

Santa Prassede, RomeThe church is named for Saint Praxades, who is said to have lived in this area. The church was built in 822 A.D., on the site of 2nd century Roman houses. Legend has it that it was Saint Praxedes herself who transported to this site and then reburied the bones of 2000 Christian martyrs who had been buried in the Roman catacombs. The catacombs, located outside the city walls, were considered unsafe during the 9th century Saracen invasions of Rome.

The beautiful 9th century mosaics high above the altar depict Saint Praxedes and her sister being presented to Christ. The luminous gold and bright colors reflect the changing light of day.

Santa Prassede, RomeThe real highlight of this church, however, is the tiny chapel of San Zenone, with its striking mosaics. Every centimeter of this chapel is encrusted in luscious, vibrant Byzantine mosaic work. The rich colours, incredible details, and the proximity of the mosaics in this tiny space, all allow visitors to carefully examine the work and to better understand the enormous complexity of creating such beautiful medieval mosaics.

The lights in the San Zenone chapel are controlled by timed, coin-operated machines, so bring along plenty of coins to admire this stunning art under the lights. You will be very pleased to have discovered this tucked-away masterpiece.

And when you’re done, you’re not that far from Colle Oppio park. Why not stop off and enjoy coffee with a  view?

For more tips on medieval Rome, see my posts on the SS Giovanni e Paolo basilica and the shrine to Pope Joan.

Santa Prassede is located near Santa Maria Maggiore, on Via di Santa Prassede, 9A. It is open daily 7:00-12:00 and 16:00-18:30.

9 Comments

  1. Catherine on January 29, 2013 at 8:00 am

    Beautiful! I love the Byzantine era but have only seen the heavyweights in Ravenna and Venice. On my list for my Rome getaway. Xcat

  2. kimberlysullivan on January 29, 2013 at 8:45 am

    Ravenna, I still haven’t seen. My ‘must see’ list is epic length. : ) Yes, start planning things to see for your Roman getaway. Spring is lovely here.

  3. ledrakenoir on January 29, 2013 at 10:51 am

    Interesting and beautiful, will remember this for next time visiting Rome… 🙂

  4. Julia on January 30, 2013 at 2:47 pm

    Wow. There is so much history inside this church. Needless to say the pictures are gorgeous.

  5. kimberlysullivan on January 31, 2013 at 7:40 am

    Thanks, Julia. One of the great things about Italy – and especially Rome – is that there’s history absolutely everywhere. I do really love peeking in the little churches. They’re beautiful here.

  6. […] the Ancient Roman Auditorium di Mecenate, just in front of Panella, the stunning mosaiacs in the church of Santa Prassede, and the nearby Colle Oppio […]

  7. […] Bernini’s home and studio, be sure to visit some of my nearby tips – the incredible Santa Prassede church, the Mecenate Auditorium, the Colle oppio park, and the Panella […]

  8. […] Brancaccio Museum, see my earlier tips on what to see in the area, such as visiting the spectacular Santa Prassede church, the Roman era Auditorium Mecenate,  eating at Panella, the site of Bernini’s studio, and […]

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply