Rione IX Pigna in Roma in Città metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Latium, Rome, Italy — Central Italy (Tyrrhenian Coast)

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Chiesa Giubilare Jubilee Church

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 5, 2025

1. Santa Maria sopra Minerva Marker

Inscription.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Chiesa Giubilare Jubilee Church. Donne patrone d'Europa e dottori della chiesa Santa Caterina da Siena. Il titolo sopra Minerva ricorda la dea della Sapienza, poiché qui sorgeva un antico tempio a lei dedicato. Anche l'elefantino realizzato dal Bernini ricorda che è necessaria «una mente robusta per sostenere una solida sapienza» I domenicani vi giunsero nel 1256 ed edificarono l'insula domenicana che comprendeva l'intero isolato - successivamente requisito prima dai francesi rivoluzionari e poi, nell'Ottocento, dal regno d'Italia - di cui facevano parte l'università poi Angelicum, i chiostri e la Biblioteca Casanatense. San Domenico è spesso rappresentato, come San Francesco, nell'atto di sostenere il Laterano: riformò la Chiesa anche tra-mite l'insegnamento. Domenicani e francescani costituirono i due ordini mendicanti che rinnovarono la chiesa medioevale. È nota la tradizione, poi anche dantesca, dei due ordini che esaltano ognuno il fondatore dell'altro. A Santa Maria sopra Minerva Caterina da Siena, terziaria domenicana, veniva a pregare per la pace e l'unità della Chiesa e perché il Papa tornasse a Roma da Avignone. La santa è sepolta nell'altare centrale; la stanza in cui morì nel 1380 è stata trasportata dietro la sacrestia. La basilica è gotica, un unicum per Roma, dove il medioevo dal Rinascimento e dal Barocco. Conobbe poi trasformazioni rinascimentali, ma la sistemazione attuale è Ottocentesca. Vi è sepolto Beato Angelico, frate domenicano e patrono degli artisti, che aveva già dipinto il Convento di San Marco a Firenze, di cui era frate. Di Antoniazzo Romano è l'Annunciazione con le ragazze povere a cui la Confraternita donava la dote. Dietro l'altare sono le tombe dei due papi Medici, Leone X, figlio di Lorenzo il Magnifico, e Clemente VII, il pontefice del Sacco di Roma. Nel transetto di destra è la Cappella Carafa, dedicata a San Tommaso d'Aquino, affrescata fra il 1489 e il 1493 da Filippino Lippi. Di Michelangelo è il Cristo risorto a fianco dell'altare centrale. Nella basilica è la Cappella Capranica: nella festa di Sant'Enrico di Uppsala, patrono della Finlandia, è luogo di liturgie ecumeniche. Patroness of Europe and doctors of the church Saint Catherine of Siena. The title 'Sopra Minerva' of this church recalls the ancient goddess of Wisdom since a temple dedicated to her once stood here. The little elephant sculpted by Bernini which stands in the square outside also recalls that "a robust mind is needed to sustain solid wisdom." The Dominicans arrived here in 1256 and built the Dominican 'insula' or campus, which took up the entire block; it was requisitioned first by the French revolutionaries and, in the 19th century, by the Kingdom of Italy. It included the university, which was to become the Angelicum, the cloisters, and the Casanatense Library. Saint Dominic is often represented, like Saint Francis, in the act of holding up the Church symbolized by the Lateran Palace and Basilica... He - like St. Francis - also reformed the Church through his teaching. The Dominicans and Franciscans constituted the two mendicant orders which renewed the medieval church. The tradition, taken up by Dante, of the two orders each exalting the founder of the other is well known. At Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Catherine of Siena, a Dominican tertiary, came to pray for the peace and unity of the Church and for the Pope to return to Rome from Avignon. She is buried under the central altar and the room where she died in 1380 has been moved behind the sacristy. The basilica is Gothic in style, unique in Rome, where the architecture of the Middle Ages was largely replaced by Renaissance and Baroque buildings, but the current arrangement is from the nineteenth century. Beato Angelico, a Dominican friar and patron of artists, who had already painted the Convent of San Marco in Florence, where he was a friar, is also buried here. The Annunciation with poor girls is by Antoniazzo Romano. Behind the altar are the tombs of the two Medici popes, Leo X, son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, and Clement VII, the pontiff at the time of the Sack of Rome. In the right transept is the Carafa Chapel, dedicated to Saint Thomas Aquinas, frescoed between 1489 and 1493 by Filippino Lippi. The Risen Christ next to the central altar is by Michelangelo. The basilica houses the Capranica Chapel: on the feast of St. Henry of Uppsala, patron saint of Finland, it is used for ecumenical liturgies.

Donne patrone d'Europa e dottori della chiesa
Santa Caterina da Siena
Il titolo sopra Minerva ricorda la dea della Sapienza, poiché qui sorgeva un antico tempio a lei dedicato. Anche l'elefantino realizzato dal Bernini ricorda che è necessaria «una mente robusta per sostenere una solida sapienza»

I domenicani vi giunsero nel 1256 ed edificarono l'insula domenicana che comprendeva l'intero isolato - successivamente requisito prima dai francesi rivoluzionari e poi, nell'Ottocento, dal regno d'Italia - di cui facevano parte l'università poi Angelicum, i chiostri e la Biblioteca Casanatense. San Domenico è spesso rappresentato, come San Francesco, nell'atto di sostenere il Laterano: riformò la Chiesa anche tra-mite l'insegnamento. Domenicani e francescani costituirono i due ordini mendicanti che rinnovarono la chiesa medioevale. È nota la tradizione, poi anche dantesca, dei due ordini che esaltano ognuno il fondatore dell'altro.

A Santa Maria sopra Minerva Caterina da Siena, terziaria domenicana, veniva a pregare per la pace e l'unità della Chiesa e perché il Papa tornasse a Roma da Avignone. La santa è sepolta nell'altare centrale; la stanza in cui

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

morì nel 1380 è stata trasportata dietro la sacrestia.

La basilica è gotica, un unicum per Roma, dove il medioevo dal Rinascimento e dal Barocco. Conobbe poi trasformazioni rinascimentali, ma la sistemazione attuale è Ottocentesca.

Vi è sepolto Beato Angelico, frate domenicano e patrono degli artisti, che aveva già dipinto il Convento di San Marco a Firenze, di cui era frate.

Di Antoniazzo Romano è l'Annunciazione con le ragazze povere a cui la Confraternita donava la dote. Dietro l'altare sono le tombe dei due papi Medici, Leone X, figlio di Lorenzo il Magnifico, e Clemente VII, il pontefice del Sacco di Roma.

Nel transetto di destra è la Cappella Carafa, dedicata a San Tommaso d'Aquino, affrescata fra il 1489 e il 1493 da Filippino Lippi.

Di Michelangelo è il Cristo risorto a fianco dell'altare centrale.

Nella basilica è la Cappella Capranica: nella festa di Sant'Enrico di Uppsala, patrono della Finlandia, è luogo di liturgie ecumeniche.

Patroness of Europe and doctors of the church
Saint Catherine of Siena
The title 'Sopra Minerva' of this church recalls the ancient goddess of Wisdom since a temple dedicated to her once stood

Piazza della Minerva image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 5, 2025

2. Piazza della Minerva

The marker can be seen on the far rights side of this photo of the church. In the foreground in the neighboring square is Bernini's Elephant, which holds up an ancient Egyptian obelisk that had been brought to the city in the 200s and, more than a thousand years later, put on display in front of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.

here. The little elephant sculpted by Bernini which stands in the square outside also recalls that "a robust mind is needed to sustain solid wisdom."

The Dominicans arrived here in 1256 and built the Dominican 'insula' or campus, which took up the entire block; it was requisitioned first by the French revolutionaries and, in the 19th century, by the Kingdom of Italy. It included the university, which was to become the Angelicum, the cloisters, and the Casanatense Library. Saint Dominic is often represented, like Saint Francis, in the act of holding up the Church symbolized by the Lateran Palace and Basilica... He - like St. Francis - also reformed the Church through his teaching. The Dominicans and Franciscans constituted the two mendicant orders which renewed the medieval church. The tradition, taken up by Dante, of the two orders each exalting the founder of the other is well known.

At Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Catherine of Siena, a Dominican tertiary, came to pray for the peace and unity of the Church and for the Pope to return to Rome from Avignon. She is buried under the central altar and the room where she died in 1380 has been moved behind the sacristy.

The basilica is Gothic in style, unique in Rome,

Inside Santa Maria sopra Minerva image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 5, 2025

3. Inside Santa Maria sopra Minerva

where the architecture of the Middle Ages was largely replaced by Renaissance and Baroque buildings, but the current arrangement is from the nineteenth century.

Beato Angelico, a Dominican friar and patron of artists, who had already painted the Convent of San Marco in Florence, where he was a friar, is also buried here.

The Annunciation with poor girls is by Antoniazzo Romano.

Behind the altar are the tombs of the two Medici popes, Leo X, son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, and Clement VII, the pontiff at the time of the Sack of Rome.

In the right transept is the Carafa Chapel, dedicated to Saint Thomas Aquinas, frescoed between 1489 and 1493 by Filippino Lippi.

The Risen Christ next to the central altar is by Michelangelo.

The basilica houses the Capranica Chapel: on the feast of St. Henry of Uppsala, patron saint of Finland, it is used for ecumenical liturgies.

Erected 2025 by The Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization; Italian Tourism Ministry.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1256.

Location.

The altar inside Santa Maria sopra Minerva image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 5, 2025

4. The altar inside Santa Maria sopra Minerva

St. Catherine of Siena, patron saint of Italy and Europe, is entombed in the altar at Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Two Medici popes are buried behind her. The statue to the left (holding a cross) is the Risen Christ by Michelangelo.

41° 53.871′ N, 12° 28.667′ E. Marker is in Roma, Lazio (Latium, Rome), in Città metropolitana di Roma Capitale. It is in Rione IX Pigna. It is on Piazza della Minerva, on the right when traveling north. The marker is in front of the right front corner of the church building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Piazza della Minerva 42, Roma, Lazio 00186, Italy. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Europe,

the European Union,

the Schengen Area,

a coastal Mediterranean country,

and the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Byzantine Empire

and specifically also the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 25 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Elephant and Obelisk (a few steps from this marker); Grand Hotel de la Minerve (a few steps from this marker); Tommaso Badia of Modena (within shouting distance of this marker); Don José de San Martín (within shouting distance of this marker); Tommaso de Vio, Cardinal Cajetan (within shouting distance of this marker); Pantheon (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); Pigna (about 150 meters away); Hotel Pantheon (about 180 meters away); The Trevi-Pantheon Route (about 180 meters away); Rione III Colonna / Colonna District III (about 180 meters away); Il Municipio di Buenos Aires (about 180 meters away); L'eclisse / The Eclipse (about 180 meters away);

St. Catherine of Siena's tomb image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 5, 2025

5. St. Catherine of Siena's tomb

St. Catherine of Siena, patron saint of Rome, Italy and Europe, died in Rome in 1380, and her body was entombed at the altar of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Her head and a thumb were brought to her home town of Siena, where they are on display at the Basilica of San Domenico.

Chiesa di San Macuto / Church of Saint Maclovio (about 180 meters away); a different marker also named Trevi-Pantheon Route (about 180 meters away); Giuseppe Gioachino Belli (about 210 meters away); Chile Democratico (about 210 meters away); Pietro Mascagni (about 210 meters away); Hotel del Sole (about 210 meters away); Lodovico Ariosto (about 210 meters away); Piazza della Rotonda (about 210 meters away); Adelaide Ristori Capranica del Grillo and Aldo Palazzeschi (about 210 meters away); Adelaide Ristori and Aldo Palazzeschi (about 210 meters away); Riccardo Grazioli Lante de la Rovere (about 240 meters away); Victorio Scialoja (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); La Chiesa Di S. Nicola De' Calcarario Poi De' Cesarini (approx. 0.2 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Roma.

More about this

Santa Maria sopra Minerva (1665) image. Click for full size.

Drawing by Giovanni Battista Falda; Courtesy of Brown University Library, circa 1665

6. Santa Maria sopra Minerva (1665)

Abstract from Brown University: "View of the square of Santa Maria sopra Minerva with the church bearing the same name (1 in the image) and the obelisk that came from the Temple of Isis (2 in the image) before it was mounted on the back of a statue of an elephant by Bernini. The obelisk was moved to its current location during the papacy of Alexander VII."

marker. The marker was one of several erected near "Jubilee churches" identified for pilgrims in Rome for the 2025 Jubilee, which was titled "Pilgrims for Hope."

Regarding Santa Maria sopra Minerva. St. Catherine was originally buried in the cemetery of Santa Maria sopra Minerva after death at the age of 33 in 1380; her body was later moved to a tomb at the church's central altar, where it still sits today. In 1381, Pope Urban VI requested that her head be detached from her body and returned to her home city of Siena, where it was stored out of public view for four years. In 1385, Catherine's mother led a procession that brought her daughter's head to the Basilica of San Domenico, where her skull and one of her fingers remain on display to this day.

Also see . . .
1. History of the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. From the church's official website. (Submitted on August 7, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

2. Of Obelisks and Pachyderms: Bernini’s Elephant in Piazza della Minerva. The blog for the Through Eternity Tours website looks at the history of the obelisk and Bernini's Elephant holding it in front of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. (Submitted on August 7, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

3. Minerva: Roman Goddess of Wisdom and Justice

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, August 5, 2025

7. Piazza della Minerva

A view from the steps of the church shows Bellini's statue of an elephant holding the Egpytian elephant, with the Pantheon a short walk away on the right.

Excerpt: "Minerva is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, and victory and an extremely important part of the Roman pantheon. She plays many important roles, such as the patron and sponsor of the arts and trade and even military strategy."

(Submitted on February 10, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 6, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 3,052 times since then and 2,850 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 6, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 7, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 6. submitted on January 13, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 7. submitted on August 7, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.