Discover the wonderful Chapel of Santa Croce on Monte Mario in Rome, a jewel of art and history that houses precious works of art and frescoes. Read this article to learn about the history of the chapel, the most important works of art, and how to visit it.

The Chapel of Santa Croce on Monte Mario was built in the 17th century on land donated by the monks of the Abbey of Tre Fontane. Over the centuries, the chapel has undergone significant restorations and been enriched with valuable works of art. Among the most important works are the frescoes by Giovanni Paolo Oliva and the painting of the Madonna and Child by Carlo Maratta. These artistic treasures have recently been restored and are now perfectly preserved.

The Chapel of Santa Croce on Monte Mario is open to the public and can be visited free of charge. It is located in a panoramic position on the hill of Monte Mario, offering a breathtaking view of the city of Rome. To reach the chapel, you can take the bus or metro and then take a short walk. During the visit, you can admire the works of art and frescoes and enjoy the tranquility of the place.

If you are planning a trip to Rome, do not miss the Chapel of Santa Croce on Monte Mario. This place of worship represents a hidden gem of the city, rich in history and art. Thanks to its panoramic location, you can enjoy a unique view of the city. Additionally, the chapel is easily accessible by public transport and can be visited free of charge. Do not miss the opportunity to admire the frescoes and works of art that make it so special!

DETAILS AND HISTORICAL NOTES, DETAILS ON MIRACLES:
What remains of the church of Santa Croce (also called the Chapel of the Holy Cross in memory of the famous vision of the cross had by Emperor Constantine) is located along the Via Trionfale, near the Casali Mellini.

The primitive church was founded in the Jubilee year 1350 by the Bishop of Orvieto Ponzio Perotti, the Pope’s vicar, in a place of great historical and religious value: it represented the first sighting point of the longed-for destination of the pilgrims, St. Peter’s.

In 1470, the building was rebuilt by the Mellini brothers simultaneously with the construction of their villa.

The particular devotion to the Holy Cross by the members of this family was demonstrated in the expansion and decorative interventions carried out in 1696 by Cardinal Mellini, who also had the remains of the martyr St. Moderato transferred there.

The church was constantly a destination for penitential pilgrimages, especially during the time of the plague that struck Rome in the mid-17th century.

The sacred building was destroyed by the military engineers between 1877 and 1882 for the construction of the military fort.

Today, only the sacristy that connected the church to the Casali complex remains, but documentary sources allow us to reconstruct some features: the entrance with two twin staircases, the single nave interior with walls adorned with stuccoes, the numerous inscriptions on the floor from the Christian catacombs, and the epigraph with the praise of the Cross desired by the Mellini family.

Image: Statue
Collection of ex-votos: Data not available

Armellini dates the oratory to the 6th century, built in memory of Constantine’s victory over Maxentius in 312 AD.

It was located in the place where, in the 16th century, Villa Madama, the residence of Margherita of Parma, the natural daughter of Charles V and wife of Alessandro de’ Medici, was built on an original design by Raphael.

Certainly, in the 8th century, it was an active place of worship, a stop on the procession that, from the time of Leo III (795-816), on St. Mark’s Day, started from San Lorenzo in Lucina, crossed the Tiber on the Milvian Bridge, reached the slopes of Monte Mario, and, after walking along the Via Trionfale, ended with a solemn celebration in the square in front of St. Peter’s. At the beginning of the 14th century, the oratory was in ruins and, on the occasion of the Jubilee of 1350, it was rebuilt by the will of the Bishop of Orvieto Ponzio Perotti in the area that was then called Mons Gaudii or Mont Joie (Old French) on the left of the Via Trionfale just before the current junction with Via Panoramica (Via Falcone e Borsellino).

At the end of the 15th century, much of the mountain became the property of the Mellini family.

In 1470, Mario Mellini (who gave the mountain its name) and his brother Pietro had a villa built in the highest part of the area and, on that occasion, also had the ancient oratory moved here from the nearby Villa Madama, adapting it as a family chapel, which was then restored and furnished with rich decorations in 1696.

A depiction can be found in a mid-18th century engraving by Giuseppe Vasi, which shows the oratory in the background.

In the 17th century, we know that a priest officiated there only on holidays, supported by the vineyard workers of the area. In that century, especially, the veneration of the Romans towards this sanctuary, which gave its name to the entire locality (“La Santa Croce”), was manifested, as can be deduced from the numerous documents that mention the road and the “place called the Cross of Monte Mario”.

Penitential processions ascended to the crucifix when the plague raged in the city, as during the plague of 1656.

In the 19th century, the place was called the Falconieri Chapel, after the new owners of the Mellini Villa. Certainly, the sanctuary was no longer active.

The place is remembered in a sonnet by Belli from 1835 (Er giuveddì e venardì santo): S’inarbera la croce a Monte Mario.

And up there every year, during Easter time,
a vicar of Christ should be nailed,
and next to him two Cardinals.

Between 1877 and 1881, a military fort (Fort of Monte Mario) was built on Monte Mario, and the area was completely transformed.

The Mellini villa became state property and was then transformed into the Astronomical and Meteorological Observatory of Rome between 1935 and 1938.
In the 19th century, it became the property of the Falconieri family.
In 1470, it became the family chapel of the Mellini family, owners of Monte Mario.
In the 17th century, it was officiated by secular clergy.
See the entry on jurisdiction.

Via Trionfale, Rome, Italy