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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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