Sant' Anna dei Palafrenieri

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Sant' Anna dei Palafrenieri
Sant' Anna dei Palafrenieri is a 16th century church in Vatican City. 

The church was built by the palafrienieri, who were the papal grooms. The Confraternita dei Palafrenieri was set up in 1378 by Pope Urban VI (r. 1378-89), taking St Anne as its patron. In 1505, Pope Julius II (r. 1503-13) established the Venerabile Arciconfraternita di Sant' Anna de' Parafrenieri. 

The inscription on the facade proclaims: VENERABILIS ARCICONFRATERNITAS SANCTAE ANNAE STRATORVM URBIS. The tondo above the entrance has a bas-relief of St Anne teaching Mary to read. 
Interior of Sant' Anna dei Palafrenieri, Rome
Interior
The interior is elliptical on the major axis. 

​The Archconfraternity of the Grooms commissioned Caravaggio to paint the altarpiece for the high altar. However, his painting, known as the Madonna dei Palafrenieri (1605), only remained in place for a month before it was sold — at a profit -- to Cardinal Scipione Borghese. 
Madonna dei Palafrenieri by Caravaggio, Galleria Borghese, Rome
The Madonna dei Palafrenieri
The painting, which depicts the Virgin and Child with St Anne, seems to have caused offence. The reason why is not known for certain, but it may have had something to do with the fact that Caravaggio used a prostitute as the model for the Madonna. Depicting her barefoot and revealing her cleavage probably didn't help. 

Caravaggio's painting is now on display in the Galleria Borghese.  

The present altarpiece (1926), an insipid affair by Arturo Viligiardi, depicts St Anne Teaching Mary to Read. ​