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Santa Maria Sopra Minerva |
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written
by Anabelle Sutcliffe / 07.12.2004 |
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Church |
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The church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva is my favorite church in Rome.
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Reason for Selection |
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Sopra Minerva is one of the only gothic churches in Rome. After visiting so many baroques churches over-decorated with lavish gold carvings and excessively colored marble walls, the inside of the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva felt spacious and peaceful.
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Description |
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The church is much darker than the baroque churches of Rome. The vaulted ceiling is decorated with a deep royal blue fresco with gold stars and depictions of the apostles. Realistic colors are used for these paintings as well as the stained-glass windows in the nave of the church. Round stained-glass windows line the top rim of the main hallway down to the nave. The colors in these windows are intense and cast tinted shadows on the gray marble walls. The glass designs are geometric and created in the gothic style. Repetitive celtic patterns mark the edges of the vaulted ceiling and the sides and corners of walls. In the nave of the church is a large gold box centered between two very large candles on either side. The religious men wear all white robes when they tend to the alters in the smaller chapels around the sides of the church. Devoted Catholics and tourists alike visit the church however, one is more likely to find locals in the church earlier on in the day. Towards the later afternoon, the church becomes more crowded with foreign visitors.
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Memorable Visit |
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I visited this church one day when the sun was beginning to go down. I anticipated that the stained-glass windows that seemed to serve as the main light source would appear less vibrant and colorful. When I entered the church, however the nave appeared almost brighter than when the sun was still high in the sky. The candles on either side of the large gold box were still lit, glowing on the marble walls of the nave. Entering the church later in the day allowed my eyes to adjust more clearly to the change of light and color. The stained-glass celtic designs in the windows were illuminated with even deeper colors. The entire atmosphere of the church transformed into one of the most peaceful places I have been in Rome.
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Image |
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The life-size candle sticks in the nave of the church remain most vividly in my memory. I also love stained-glass windows and the Santa Maria Sopra Minerva has some of the most beautiful celtic designs and colors in its round-shaped windows that I have ever seen.
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