Roma - Santa Maria in Trastevere

Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches of Rome. Legends have it that Pope Callixtus I (217-222) had the church built and that it got remodelled later a couple of times. Pope Innocent II (1130-1143) had it rebuilt on its old foundations. Since then It has the present form with three naves, lintelled columns, apse and transept, created largely by materials gleaned from the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla.

The mosaic on the facade is clearly influenced by Byzantine works. The masters here surely knew the older mosaics from Ravenna. The mosaics are believed to be created end of the 12th century. They got retouched during a 19th century restauration.