Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione at the Roman Forum
The Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione is a Roman Catholic baroque church standing at the foot of the Palatine Hill in the rione Campitelli, Rome. Its origins trace to a devotional icon of the Virgin placed here around 1385 to comfort condemned criminals on their way to execution, and the present building was rebuilt between 1583 and 1600 by the architect Martino Longhi the Elder. The church is administered by the Capuchin Franciscans and remains an active shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation.
At a glance
- Type
- Roman Catholic church and Marian shrine
- Period
- Original structure 1470; rebuilt 1583–1600; tympanum added 1827
- Style
- Baroque and Mannerist with Renaissance elements
- Location
- Rione Campitelli, at the foot of the Palatine Hill, Rome, Italy
- Coordinates
- 41.8914° N, 12.4830° E
Overview
Santa Maria della Consolazione stands at the southwestern edge of the Roman Forum area, where the Palatine Hill meets the ancient Tarpeian Rock. It is one of Rome’s most evocative devotional churches, its location intertwining pagan history with Christian mercy. The Capuchin Franciscans have administered the church for several centuries and continue to do so today.
History
According to tradition, a nobleman placed an icon of the Virgin Mary here on 23 June 1385 to console criminals condemned to death, giving the church its name. A modest oratory was built around 1470 to shelter the image. Pope Sixtus V formally recognised the devotion in 1585, and the current church was constructed between 1583 and 1600 under architect Martino Longhi the Elder. Pope Urban VIII crowned the venerated icon on 7 December 1634, and the neoclassical tympanum visible on the facade today was added by Pasquale Belli in 1827.
What you see
The church presents a composed facade facing the ancient landscape of the Forum. Inside, the nave and chapels are decorated with notable Renaissance and Mannerist frescoes by Taddeo Zuccari, Niccolò Circignani, and Giovanni Baglione. The central altar houses the circa 1385 Madonna and Child icon that gave rise to the entire devotional tradition. The building’s relatively modest exterior conceals an interior rich in 16th-century painting.
Cultural significance
The church occupies one of Rome’s most historically layered sites, adjacent to the Palatine Hill and near the legendary Tarpeian Rock from which traitors were thrown in antiquity. Its founding myth — an act of mercy toward condemned prisoners — gives it an unusual human dimension within the monumental archaeology of the Forum area. The icon remains an object of active popular devotion.
Practical information
- Address
- Piazza della Consolazione, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
- Hours
- Check official website or parish notice for current opening times
- Admission
- Free entry to the church
Getting there
The church is a short walk from the Circo Massimo metro station (Line B). Bus lines serving the Lungotevere and Via dei Fori Imperiali stop nearby. On foot from the Colosseum, follow Via Sacra west toward the Capitoline Hill; the church is visible at the base of the Palatine Hill.