Churches Friday: Sant'Agostino

Very near the Piazza Navona, on the northern end, steps away from McDonald's, stands the church of San Agostino. (In fact, the exterior wall of McDonald's forms the southern wall of the piazza in front of the church.)

I would encourage you to look closely at the marvelous facade of local Travertine marble. These blocks of marble are the same blocks from the Colosseum. To be clear, I do not mean that these blocks were quarried from the same location. These blocks were once physically present in the Colosseum. Oftentimes, visitors to Rome, and curious students, will wonder what happened to the Colosseum? Why is some of it missing? The answer is that some of the blocks were literally taken from the Colosseum and used in the construction of this church.

If your travels take you to Florence, please note the similarity of this facade to that of Santa Maria Novella in Rome, designed by the great Renaissance architect Alberti. Note the lines, and the levels of architectural workings inspired by the Alberti.

Inside the church are some significant items of note as well. The tomb of the mother of Saint Augustine, Monica - whom Augustine mentions often in his writings - is within this church. There is also a painting by Raphael, the prophet Isaiah, and a work of Caravaggio, The Madonna of Loreto.

It is well worth your time to stop by this church in the center of Rome.

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Are you interested in seeing this?

• Yes!
• If there is time.
• It doesn't really call to me.

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