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WALKING TOURS OF ROME

Ss Luca e Martina & the Barberini Bees

3/8/2019

 
Map
Church of Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Santi Luca e Martina

Three bees make up the coat of arms of the Barberini family. Although the bees have disappeared from the coat of arms of Pope Urban VIII (born Maffeo Barberini), which crowns the facade of Santi Luca e Martina, they are still to be seen buzzing about elsewhere on (and in) the church. 

Santi Luca e Martina, which overlooks the Forum Romanum, was founded in the early 7th century when it was dedicated simply to Saint Martina. In 1577 the Accademia di San Luca, the academy of painters, sculptors and architects, was created, and in 1588 it was given the church, which was rededicated to both St Luke (patron saint of artists) and St Martina. 

In 1634, the painter Pietro Berrettini (1596-1669) was elected president of the academy.
Pietro da Cortona, as he was better known, immediately embarked on rebuilding the church. Funding came from Cardinal Francesco Barberini, papal nephew of Pope Urban VIII (r. 1623-44). It was completed in 1679, ten years after Cortona's death. 

The design of Santi Luca e Martina follows a Greek-cross plan, the centre of which is crowned by a beautiful dome. The interior decoration of the dome 
has been attributed to Cortona's pupil and collaborator, Ciro Ferri (1634-89). The stucco reliefs on the four pendentives were added in the 18th century. 

Picture
Church of Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Santi Luca e Martina
Dome of Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Dome
Interior of the dome of Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Interior of the dome
Dome interior, Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Interior of the dome
Stucco decoration on one of the dome pendentives, Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Stucco relief of St Luke, dome pendentive
Interior of Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Interior
High altar, Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
High altar
Statue of St Martina by Nicolo Menghini, Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
St Martina by Nicolo Menghini
Bust of Pietro da Cortona by Bernardino Fioriti, Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Bust of Pietro da Cortona by Bernardino Fioriti
Coat of arms of Pope Urban VIII, Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Coat of arms of Pope Urban VIII minus its three bees
Barberini bees, Entrance to Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Three bees above the entrance to the church
Coat of arms of Pope Urban VIII
An example of the coat of arms of Pope Urban VIII
Symbol of Academy of St Luke, church of Santi Luca e Martina, Rome
Symbol of Academy of St Luke, Santi Luca e Martina

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    Walking Tours For Discerning Travellers

    My name is David Lown and I am an art historian from Cambridge, England. Since 2001 I have lived in Italy, where I run private and
    small-group walking tours
    of Rome.

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  • Home
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  • Rome
  • St Peter's Basilica
    • Altars >
      • Altar of St Joseph
      • Altar of St Gregory the Great
      • Altar of the Madonna of Succour
      • Altar of St Sebastian
      • Altar of the Lie
      • Altar of the Presentation of the Virgin
      • Altar of St Jerome
      • Altar of the Transfiguration
      • Altar of Pope Leo the Great
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      • Maria Clementina Sobieska
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      • Pope Pius X
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      • Pope John XXIII
      • The Stuarts
    • Portico >
      • Door of Death
      • Door of Good and Evil
      • Central Door
      • Door of the Sacraments
      • Holy Door
    • Pieta
    • Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament
    • Cathedra Petri
    • Crossing >
      • Baldacchino
      • Confessio
      • Dome
      • St Longinus
      • St Helena
      • St Veronica
      • St Andrew
    • St Peter
    • Chapel of the Choir
    • Chapel of the Baptistery
    • Nave
  • Sistine Chapel
    • North Wall
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    • East Wall
    • Ceiling: Part One >
      • Ceiling: Part Two
      • Ceiling: Part Three
    • The Last Judgement
  • Fountains
    • Trevi Fountain
    • Fontana della Barcaccia
    • Fountain of the Triton
    • Fountain of the Bees
    • Fountain of Moses
    • Fountain of the Four Rivers
    • Fountain of the Acqua Paola
    • Fountain of the Turtles
    • Fountain of the Naiads
    • Fountain of the Cannonball
    • Piazza del Popolo
    • Fountain of the Pantheon
    • Fountains of Piazza Farnese
    • Fountain of Goddess Roma
    • Rioni Fountains
    • Street Fountains
    • Venice Marries the Sea
    • St Peter's Square
    • Fountain of the Moor
    • Fountain of Neptune
    • Fountain of the Porter
    • Fountain of the Seahorses
  • Gallery
    • Piazzas >
      • Piazza del Campidglio
      • Piazza del Quirinale
      • Piazza del Popolo
      • Piazza di Spagna
      • Piazza Navona
      • Piazza S. M. in Trastevere
      • Piazza San Pietro
    • Mosaics
    • Fountains
    • Churches
    • Ancient Rome
    • Palaces
    • Domes
    • Papal Coats of Arms
    • Street Shrines
    • Old Photographs
    • Borromini & the Baroque