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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.

To my Italian visitors

S. Lorenzo in Panisperna (Book 8) (Day 3) (Map A3) (Rione Monti)

In this page:
The plate by Giuseppe Vasi
Today's view
S. Lorenzo in Panisperna
Palazzo Cimarra
S. Lorenzo in Fonte

The Plate (No. 152)

Viminale is the least known of the seven hills of Rome. For Italians Viminale is the synonym for the Ministry for Interiors Affairs or the Police, but Viminale is the hill between Quirinale and Esquiline and Via Panisperna is the straight road which links these two hills ascending the Viminale. The church of S. Lorenzo is at the highest point of Viminale. The view is taken from the green dot in the 1748 map below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) First entrance to the church; 2) Part of the monastery; 3) S. Maria Maggiore; 4) Palazzo Cimarra. 3) is shown in another page. The small map shows also 5) S. Lorenzo in Fonte.

Small ViewSmall View

Today

The church

The bell tower and the beggar are not there, but apart from that little has changed and the view over S. Maria Maggiore has been preserved.

The Church

The church

Built in very ancient times on the spot of S. Lorenzo's martyrdom, the church has been the object of too many restorations: the last one by Leo XIII. The monastery and several houses belonging to it are marked with a gridiron, a reminder of the cruel way St. Lawrence was put to death.
You may wish to see the church as it appeared in a 1588 Guide to Rome.

Palazzo Cimarra

Palazzo Cimarra

The simple but elegant Palazzo Cimarra offers to the happy few who can afford a flat there a striking view over the other six hills of Rome. It is not the only interesting palace in an area which at first sight seems rather dull. There are several buildings of the XVII/XVIIIth centuries which have fine stucco decoration.

S. Lorenzo in Fonte

S. Lorenzo in Fonte

S. Lorenzo was imprisoned in the dungeon of the house of Ippolito a Roman centurion. In the dungeon there was a little spring (fonte) of water, which was used by S. Lorenzo to baptize another prisoner, a blind man who recovered his sight. The miracle convinced Ippolito to be baptized too and for this he was put to death. The church, built on the dungeon, is dedicated to both Lorenzo and Ippolito. The ashes of S. Lorenzo were buried in S. Lorenzo fuori le Mura.

Excerpts from Giuseppe Vasi 1761 Itinerary related to this page:


Chiesa di s. Lorenzo in fonte, e strada della suburra
Si dice questa contrada la nuova suburra, a distinzione dell'antica, che era presso la chiesa de' ss. Pietro e Marcellino, e però vi fu posta quivi sul cantone una insegna formata in marmo. La strada, che siegue dritta, porta al monastero di s. Lucia in Selce, e a s. Martino ai monti, e poi alla porta s. Lorenzo; voltando però per la strada, che sta incontro alla detta insegna, che dicesi Urbana, si trova in primo luogo la chiesa di s. Lorenzo in Fonte molto celebre, perchè eretta nella prigione del Santo, in cui s. Ippolito cavaliere Romano, convertito alla Fede dal s. Diacono, fu battezzato nel fonte miracolosamente ivi sorto, come si vede espresso nel quadro sull' altare maggiore da Gio. Batista Speranza, il quale fece il resto delle pitture, fuorchè un s. Vescovo, e s. Francesco, per essere opera del Cav. d'Arpino, e le pitture nella prima cappella sono del Cipolla.
Chiesa di s. Lorenzo in Panisperna
Dopo la suddetta chiesa camminando a destra, ci viene di prospetto la villa di Sisto V. a destra la tribuna della basilica di s. Maria Maggiore, e a sinistra il detto monastero colla chiesa. Questa fu eretta nel luogo delle terme Olimpiade, ove il s. Diacono fu arrostito sulla graticola, acciò si conservasse la memoria del suo martirio. Era prima una delle 20. badie privilegiate di Roma, e fu molto frequentata da s. Brigida, mentre stette in Roma. Ora vi sono le religiose di santa Chiara, le quali hanno adornata la chiesa di marmi, stucchi dorati, e pitture; Pasquale Cati vi dipinse il prospetto dell'altare maggiore; Cherubino Alberti il s. Francesco; e Cesare d'Arpino la s. Brigida, lo sposalizio della ss. Vergine, e la volta della chiesa.

Next plate in Book 8: S. Silvestro in Capite
Next step in Day 3 itinerary: Porta S. Lorenzo
Next step in your tour of Rione Monti: Chiesa e Monastero dei SS. Domenico e Sisto