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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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