BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE ITALY LONELY PLANET SKIP CONTENT SEARCH BEYOND DESTINATIONS TRAVEL AFRICA ANTARCTICA ASIA AUSTRALIA PACIFIC CARIBBEAN CENTRAL AMERICA EUROPE MIDDLE EAST NORTH AMERICA SOUTH AMERICA INSURANCE HOTELS FLIGHTS ADVENTURE TOURS SIGHTSEEING TOURS AIRPORT CAR RENTAL SHOP SIGN CLOSE SANTA MARIA CHOICE BASILICA ESQUILINO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE MUSEUM LOGGIA MAPBOX OPENSTREETMAP PATRIARCHAL MONUMENTAL CHURCH THE SUMMIT ESQUILINE HILL ON THE SPOT SNOW SAID TO MIRACULOUSLY FALLEN IN THE SUMMER ALTERED CENTURIES SOMETHING ARCHITECTURAL HYBRID ROMANESQUE BAROQUE GLORIOUS EXTERIOR DECORATED PROTECTED FERDINAND RISING THE BELFRY TOPS VAST INTERIOR ORIGINAL PARTICULARLY SPECTACULAR MOSAICS THE TRIUMPHAL ARCH DEPICTING OLD TESTAMENT THE CENTRAL IMAGE SIGNED JACOPO TORRITI DATES THE 13TH THE CORONATION OF THE VIRGIN BENEATH YOUR NAVE FLOOR FINE EXAMPLE COSMATI BALDACHIN THE HIGH ALTAR HEAVY GILT ITSELF PORPHYRY RELICS ST MATTHEW PLAQUE EMBEDDED THE FLOOR THE RIGHT MARKS THE SPOT GIAN LORENZO BERNINI FATHER PIETRO STEPS LEAD DOWN CRYPT STATUE POPE PIUS IX RELIQUARY FRAGMENT CAPPELLA LAST DOMENICO FONTANA THE 16TH THE TOMBS POPES SIXTUS V PIUS SOUVENIR SHOP GLITTERING COLLECTION RELIGIOUS UPPER DELLE LOOK IRIDESCENT SPIRAL STAIRCASE NOTEWORTHY