Santa Chiara is a church in the rione Pigna, formerly the

Campus Martius The Campus Martius (Latin for the "Field of Mars", Italian ''Campo Marzio'') was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about in extent. In the Middle Ages, it was the most populous area of Rome. The IV rione of Rome, Campo Marzio, which covers ...

area of

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

dedicated to Saint

Clare of Assisi Clare of Assisi (born Chiara Offreduccio and sometimes spelled Clara, Clair, Claire, Sinclair; 16 July 1194 – 11 August 1253) was an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladie ...

. It is located at the corner of via Santa Chiara and via di Torre Argentina (where this street becomes via della Rotonda). It is about a block south of the

Pantheon Pantheon may refer to: * Pantheon (religion), a set of gods belonging to a particular religion or tradition, and a temple or sacred building Arts and entertainment Comics *Pantheon (Marvel Comics), a fictional organization * ''Pantheon'' (Lone St ...

, at the piazza Santa Chiara. It was founded by

Saint Charles Borromeo Charles Borromeo ( it, Carlo Borromeo; la, Carolus Borromeus; 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was the Archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584 and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat a ...

, who built a

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...

convent (now used by the

Pontifical French Seminary The Pontifical French Seminary (La. ''Pontificium Seminarium Gallicum'', Fr.: ''Séminaire Pontifical Français'', It. ''Pontificio'' ''Seminario Francese'') is a Roman College dedicated to training French speaking Roman Catholic priests. History ...

) and the church within the ruins of the

Baths of Agrippa The Baths of Agrippa (Latin: Thermae Agrippae) was a structure of ancient Rome, in what is now Italy, built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. It was the first of the great thermae constructed in the city, and also the first public bath. History In th ...

in 1592. It was restored in 1627, but at some later point the roof collapsed and it was abandoned. In 1883, the

Congregation of the Holy Spirit , image = Holy Ghost Fathers seal.png , size = 175px , caption = The seal of the Congregation depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Trinity. , abbreviation ...

acquired the property, and rebuilt the church, giving it a new facade designed by

Luca Carimini The last universal common ancestor (LUCA) is the most recent population from which all organisms now living on Earth share common descent—the most recent common ancestor of all current life on Earth. This includes all cellular organisms; t ...

in 1888. On the lower of the two levels, the main door is framed by two columns holding a semicircular tympanum with a decorated lunette. To the sides are niches with triangular tympanums, surmounted by circular windows. On the upper level there are seven windows surmounted by busts of saints. Below the windows is the Latin inscription: "DEO OPTIMO MAXIMO IN HONOREM IMMACVLATI CORDIS MARIAE ET CLARAE VIRGINIS". The triangular tympanum crowning the façade has a relief by

Domenico Bartolini Domenico Bartolini (Rome, 26 August 1880 – 5 April 1960) was an Italian politician and civil servant, who served as Minister of Finance of the Badoglio I Cabinet, the first after the fall of the Fascist regime. Biography From 1908 to 192 ...

. Inside the church there is a single aisle. There are frescoes and paintings by the painter

Virgilio Monti Virgilio Monti (1852–1942) was an Italian painter, active mainly in Rome, painting sacred subjects. Biography Among his works are: *''Madonna and Child'' first chapel on right, Santa Brigida, Rome *''Holy Family'', main altarpiece, Santa C ...

(1852-1942), the official painter to the Roman Church appointed by Pope Leo XIII. The church is still served by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. The high altar has an altarpiece depicting the

Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The subject became popular in art from the 1490s on, but veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Saint François de Laval, the first ...

, by Virgilio Monti.

References

Chiara Chiara is a word and place name of Italian origin, meaning "bright" or "clear", and may refer to: People * Chiara (name) * Chiara da Montefalco, (1268–1308), an Augustinian nun and abbess * Chiara (Italian singer) or Chiara Galiazzo (born 1986 ...

1592 establishments in the Papal States Religious organizations established in the 1590s Roman Catholic churches completed in 1592 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy National churches in Rome Churches of Rome (rione Pigna) {{Italy-church-stub