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You are in: Home » Culture and leisure » Cultural heritage » Archaeological heritage » Mausoleo di Santa Costanza presso Complesso di Sant'Agnese
Typology: Monuments

Address

Address: Via Nomentana, 349
Zone: Quartiere Monte Sacro Alto (Roma nord)

Contacts

Telephone: 06 86205456
Web site: www.santagnese.com

Opening times

For access times and information about the visit, see the official website.

Visits are not permitted if weddings or other religious celebrations are taking place inside.

Information

Modalità di partecipazione: Free guided tour

Description

Along the Via Nomentana, is the complex comprising the Church of St. Agnese, the catacombs, a large basilica and the mausoleum of St. Costanza. The catacombs developed between the third and fourth century AD on three floors. Here was buried the martyr Agnese, who died between the mid-3rd and the first-4th century. In the 4th century a small basilica was erected on the first floor of the cemetery. Constantia, or his father Constantine, erected a huge three-nave basilica near the tomb (337-350 AD), traces of it are still visible. Subsequently, to the south-west of the basilica, she built a circular construction which was to be her mausoleum, Costanza died in 354. The mausoleum is one of the most important museums of the late ancient architecture. Is the first example of round building with an ambulatory. The outline of an oval vestibule can still be traced in front of the entrance. The rotunda itself is covered by a dome resting on a drum which is supported on a ring of twinned columns linked by elegant arches. The surrounding barrel-vaulted gallery is still adorned with its original fourth century mosaic. The vault is divided into panels and covered with a variety of motifs against a light background: floral and geometric details, portraits in medallions, vine tendrils entwined with harvest scenes. The mosaics in the side recesses have Christian themes: God handing down the law to Moses and Christ giving the new law to St Peter and St Paul. In the recess opposite the entrance is a copy of Constanza’s sarcophagus, the original being in the Vatican museums. In the 7th century pope Honorius built another basilica upon the tomb of Sant’Agnese: a Christian basilica of byzantine influence as proven by the mosaic in the apse, one of the most beautiful examples of byzantine mosaics in Rome dating back to the first half of the 7th century: St Agnese between pope Symmachus (498-514) and Honorius (625-638), holding a model of the church. 

Services

» Guided Visits

See also

Culture and leisure › Cultural heritage › Archaeological heritage
Culture and leisure › Historic places of worship › Catholic Churches
Last checked: 2023-03-22 12:10