Santa Maria della Consolazione

The church is named after an icon of the Virgin Mary which was placed on this site to console criminals who were tossed down off the cliff above the church, thought to be the Tarpeian Rock from where condemned Ancient Roman criminals were tossed to their death in Roman times.

The church is named after an icon of the Virgin Mary which was placed on this site to console criminals who were tossed down off the cliff above the church, thought to be the Tarpeian Rock from where condemned Ancient Roman criminals were tossed to their death in Roman times. In 1385 a condemned nobleman, Giordanxi, paid 2 gold florins for the icon to provide consolation for criminals facing death.

A church originally was built here in 1470, but rebuilt during 1583–1600 by Martino Longhi the Elder, during which time the Mannerist façade was installed. The tympanum was completed in 1827 by Pasquale Belli.

Read More