Santissima Trinità dei Monti
Santissima Trinità dei Monti Roman Catholic Church and monastery is at the top of the Spanish Steps. Obelisco Sallustiano stands at the church’s entrance.
History
Trinità dei Monti is a French national church and one of Rome’s main attractions. The interesting, historical church contains magnificent Renaissance Art. In 1502, to celebrate France’s invasion of Naples, Louis XII began, but never finished, construction.
“The present Italian Renaissance church was built in its place and consecrated in 1585 by the great urbanizer Pope Sixtus V. During the Napoleonic occupation of Rome, the church was despoiled of its art. After the Bourbon Restoration in the 1800s, it was renovated and returned to its former state at the expense of France’s Louis XVIII.”
Chapels
Trinità dei Monti has several chapels with splendid paintings, statues, and frescoes by Italian artists:
- Giambattista Naldini
- Daniele da Volterra, Michelangelo’s pupil
- Paris Nogari
- Leonardo Sormani
- Cesare Nebbia
- Perino del Vaga
- Paolo Céspedes
- Cesare Arbasia
- Taddeo Zuccari
Emmanuel Community
Since 2016, members of the Emmanuel Community began living in and serving Trinità dei Monti – a place of education, meetings, worship, and prayer. While I was there, a French caretaker adjusted chairs in main chapel, lit candles, and asked several young women who were inappropriately dressed to cover up or leave the premises.
Tourists heeded the signs of silence posted throughout the church. It was a peaceful place to sit in contemplation. Outside, the street was bustling with people and lined with Maseratis and Ferraris for a flashy sports car photo shoot near the Spanish Steps.
Communication is one of the things I like most about Italy. You don’t need to speak the language to understand what’s being said – gestures and facial expressions tell all!
Hot Day
It was another sweltering day in Rome. On the metro, a handsome Italian offered me his seat. I sat down next to an English couple with a baby who was clearly overheated. She was adorable and looked frazzled with bright pink cheeks but seemed happy and wasn’t fussy. The couple said they were finding it difficult adjusting to Rome’s sultry summer weather – me too….
Tomorrow I’ll get an early start and try to plan shady activities with frequent café stops. I discovered a fantastic underground Chinese Szechuan restaurant – Xiang Zi – on Via Firenze in the Prati District and had a delicious lunch!
