Exploring Rome requires a positive attitude, as well as some luck. Many times I have carefully looked up opening times, checked the online information for recent updates, and showed up when a place is supposed to be open… only to find the place closed. But every now and then, luck (or more accurately in Rome, Fortuna) is with you.
I’ve long wanted to explore a circular church I’ve passed by many times. I went by one day, even though it was supposed to be closed… and found it to be open(!). It was glorious.
San Bernardo alle Terme was built from one of the two circular halls located at the corners of the ancient Baths of Diocletian (hence the “alle Terme”).
The other one of those circular halls still stands, not very far away, and shows what these buildings looked like in a more unadorned state.
The church’s exterior is not terribly eye catching, aside from its round shape. But then you step inside, and look up.
The ceiling takes your breath away. Made of stucco, it’s composed of coffered octagons that diminish in size as they approach the top of the dome — a sort of trompe l’oeil to make the dome seem more voluminous. Despite the fact that there are no windows in the church, the interior is surprisingly bright, because natural light streams from the large circular hole (impluvium) in the center of the dome.
The church is impressive, to say the least. From the outside it does not look so big, but the interior shows just how vast the scale of the building really is.
Eight enormous (over three meters tall) stucco statues by the sculptor Camilllo Mariani stand in niches that go around the interior.
There’s also a little side chapel, dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, with a lovely ceiling and altar.
As usual, I had the church all to myself. I sat for some time and just gazed up at that lovely dome, and savored the peace and quiet. Thank you, Fortuna!
The Spanish Steps Apartment on Via della Mercede 