Santa Maria dell'Orto stands in the Trastevere district of Rome. The church grew out of a miracle around 1488 linked to a painted image of the Virgin Mary. Construction began in 1489 under an unknown architect and was completed in 1567. Twelve professional guilds funded it, and the Archconfraternity of S. Maria dell'Orto still guards it.
The facade is largely attributed to Vignola, though sometimes to Martino Longhi the Elder. Guidetto Guidetti, a pupil of Michelangelo, designed the interior. He changed the former Greek-cross plan with four apses to a Latin cross with three naves. The style is Renaissance and Baroque.
Federico and Taddeo Zuccari painted works inside. It became the national church of Japan in Rome, and it was a film set for Rome, Open City in 1945.
Comments