Exploring Rome after Easter Mass on Sunday

In Castel Sant'Angelo

After leaving St. Peter's Square was visited the Castel Sant'Angelo. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Since it was the first Sunday in April it was a free museum day. the views from the top of the Castel Sant'Angelo are some of the best in Rome. Then we walked along the Tiber River to the area of Rome known as Trastevere. It has narrow cobblestone streets and many churches. We ate lunch there and then went to explore churches.

Marta and Mark at the top of the Castel

Family at Castel Sant' Angelo

The first church we located was The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. It is one of the oldest churches of Rome. The basic floor plan and wall structure of the church date back to the 340s, and much of the structure to 1140-43. The first sanctuary was built in 221 and 227 by Pope Callixtus I and later completed by Pope Julius I. The church has large areas of important mosaics from the late 13th century by Pietro Cavallini.

Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere

Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere

The second church Mark's tour was San Francesco a Ripa. It is dedicated to Francis of Assisi who once stayed at the adjacent convent. The term Ripa refers to the nearby riverbank of the Tiber. Inside this chapel is one of Bernini’s masterpieces, his Beata Ludovica Albertoni (1671-1675).

Beata Ludovica Albertoni by Bernini

Santa Cecilia in Trastevere

Our final church to visit was Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is a 5th-century church in Rome, Italy, devoted to the Roman martyr Saint Cecilia. After going to Easter Mass and then visitng 3 churches in the afternoon I think we had a very memorable Easter Day. I told Mark that his niece, Gabi, would not have liked this day because after so many churches she said they all begin to look about the same.- Nancy