Sant' Onofrio al Gianicolo

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Map of the Churches of Rome

Sant' Onofrio al Gianicolo

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The church of Sant' Onofrio al Gianicolo was founded in 1419 by Blessed Nicolo da Forca Palena (1349-1449) and dedicated to St Onuphrius, a 4th century Egyptian hermit or Desert Father. It was built as part of the monastery of the Order of St Jerome, also known as the Hieronymites. 

Tombstone of Blessed Nicolo da Forca Palena

On the wall to the right of the entrance is the tombstone of the founder, who died less than a month after becoming a centenarian. 

Nave

The interior comprises a single nave of three bays and an apse. There are three large chapels on the left side and two on the right.  

Apse

The three panels on the apse wall are attributed to Baldassarre Peruzzi early on in his career. They depict The Nativity, The Madonna and Child with Saints (the donor of the work is kneeling to the right) and The Flight into Egypt. The frescoes in the vault are possibly by Pinturicchio. The central fresco depicts The Coronation of Mary in Heaven, while the frescoes to either side depict apostles, saints and sibyls. 

Madruzzo Chapel

The Cappella Madruzzo (second chapel on the right) is dedicated to the Madonna of Loreto. The two monuments are to Cardinal Cristoforo Madruzzo and Lorenzo Madruzzo. The altarpiece depicts The Holy House of Loreto Being Carried by Angels, and has been attributed to Agostino Carracci.

Monument to Torquato Tasso by Giuseppe De Fabris

The first chapel on the left contains a funerary monument to the poet Torquato Tasso (1544-95), author of the epic poem Gerusalemme Liberata, who died in the monastery of Sant' Onofrio, where he was staying as a guest. He died the day before he was due to be crowned with laurels on the Capitol.  

The monument is the work of the sculptor Giuseppe De Fabris (1790-1860). 

Bas-relief

The long bas-relief at the base of the monument depicts Tasso's funeral procession. 

Fresco, Cloister

An L-shaped Renaissance portico connects the church and the monastery. In the lunettes of the cloister are frescoes (1605) illustrating scenes from the life of St Jerome, the work of Domenico Zampieri, better known as Domenichino (1581-1641). 

Garden

​​The French writer François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848) thought the location of Sant' Onofrio one of the most beautiful places on earth ('un des beaux sites de la terre'). He noted in his autobiography, Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe (Memoirs from Beyond the Grave), that if he had the good fortune to end his days in Rome, he would like to die in a room next to the one in which Tasso had passed away.

Plaque to Chateaubriand

The church sports a plaque recording these sentiments. Chateaubriand actually died in Paris on July 4th 1848, and was buried, as requested, on the tidal island of Grand Bé near Saint-Malo, accessible only when the tide is out.

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