Santa Maria del Priorato

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Map of the Churches of Rome

Santa Maria del Priorato

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The sixteenth century church of Santa Maria del Priorato was remodelled by the Venetian print-maker Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-78).  

Santa Maria in Aventina, as the church is also known, belongs to the Sovereign Order of the Knights of Malta. It was built at the behest of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Rezzonico, who had become Grand Master of the Order in 1762. Rezzonico was related to Pope Clement XII (r. 1758-69). 

Two Capitals

​The basic design of the façade is very straightforward, but the details are fantastic. The pilasters sport very odd capitals, comprising a pair of sphinxes facing a Rezzonico tower. They also have very curious panels. 

Interior

The decoration of the interior is almost entirely in white. The single nave comprises four bays and the sanctuary has a single bay. 

The Glory of St Basil by Tommaso Righi

The spectacular high altar, made of stucco, has a statue group depicting The Glory of St Basil. It is the work of the Roman sculptor Tommaso Righi (1727-1802), from a design by Piranesi. The altar also comprises a relief of the Virgin Mary, the Christ-child and the infant St John the Baptist. John the Baptist is the patron saint of the Knights of Malta

Giovanni Battista Piranesi by Giuseppe Angelini

The second niche on the right has the tomb of Piranesi. The statue (1780), which depicts him as a Roman patrician clad in a toga, is by the Roman sculptor Giuseppe Angelini (1742-1811). 

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