Santa Maria Maggiore
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I had the luck of my hotel being nearby St. Mary's when I was in Rome, so this was my first stop when exploring the city and what a stop it was! This basillica rivals St. Peters and is full of beautiful artwork and sculptures! I highly recommend you see this Basillica while in Rome. One thing to remember that it's still a functioning church (as most churches in Rome still are), so there are areas where photography is forbidden. Legend says the gold inlayed into the ceiling was brought back from the New World by Columbus. Make sure you get here when you visit Rome!
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Dec 08 2006
Upon entering the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore visitors will ultimately leave Italy behind and enter into the Vatican. Considered one of Romes four major basilicas, this fifth century church (dedicated to Mother Mary) is actually a Vatican possession. The church was built around 432 AD in response to a vision had by Pope Liberius. He dreamt that the Virgin told him to build a church where he would find snow. The next morning on the fifth of August 432, in the middle of a roasting summer, a small patch of snow was discovered on the Esquiline Hill. Naturally, the Pope did as he was told and the rest is history. Each year since its completion, the basilica has seen the commemoration of this miracle with a special mass. During this service, thousands of white dahlia petals representing snow are sprinkled from the ceiling.
Reviewed by: Regalo from on Mar 23 2006
This is a magnificent church. Look at all details.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Apr 14 2005
Churches Within A Church
Back to Santa Maria Maggiore
I had the luck of my hotel being nearby St. Mary's when I was in Rome, so this was my first stop when exploring the city and what a stop it was! This basillica rivals St. Peters and is full of beautiful artwork and sculptures! I highly recommend you see this Basillica while in Rome. One thing to remember that it's still a functioning church (as most churches in Rome still are), so there are areas where photography is forbidden. Legend says the gold inlayed into the ceiling was brought back from the New World by Columbus. Make sure you get here when you visit Rome!
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Dec 08 2006
Upon entering the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore visitors will ultimately leave Italy behind and enter into the Vatican. Considered one of Romes four major basilicas, this fifth century church (dedicated to Mother Mary) is actually a Vatican possession. The church was built around 432 AD in response to a vision had by Pope Liberius. He dreamt that the Virgin told him to build a church where he would find snow. The next morning on the fifth of August 432, in the middle of a roasting summer, a small patch of snow was discovered on the Esquiline Hill. Naturally, the Pope did as he was told and the rest is history. Each year since its completion, the basilica has seen the commemoration of this miracle with a special mass. During this service, thousands of white dahlia petals representing snow are sprinkled from the ceiling.
Reviewed by: Regalo from on Mar 23 2006
This is a magnificent church. Look at all details.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Apr 14 2005
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