Best of IgoUgoRome Was not Built in a Day...
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Basilica San Clemente, famous for its stunning 12th century mosaics is worth visiting to see how the layers upon layers of history are built up onto one another in Rome. The main church functioning today was built in the 12th century and represents typical Romanesque style, although overlaid with later alterations and additions - notably an 18th century Baroque facade (which is using the 12th century colums in its construction). Underneath the 12th century building, however, lurk remains of one eight centuries older: discovered by the Irish Dominicans who have been running San Clemente since 1667 after their expulsion from Ireland by the English rulers. It's likely that this 4th century church (burned during Norman invasions) housed the...
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From journal Rome the Eternal
Best of IgoUgoSan Clemente
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This is a fascinating find that is not on the major tourist sight list. There is a 12th century church named after Clement, a 1st century church leader in Rome (who is acclaimed as the third pope), which is pleasant, but it is part of the latest layer of the history of the site which is now administered by Irish Dominicans. It was the Irish Dominicans who discovered that there was an earlier church on the site and started excavations, and discovered not only a 4th century church, but a deeper earlier layer also.
The church is lovely with 6th century marble choir section that was originally in the earlier church and then moved here and simply looks elegant. Also there is an incredible golden mosaic in the apse based around the theme of the...
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From journal Glimpsing Rome
Best of IgoUgoBasilica di San Clemente
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We stumbled into the Basilica di San Clemente on our way to see the Colosseum and it wasn't even on our activity list. We paid the $3 fee to go downstairs to a 4th century church built over a 1st century Roman house containing a 2nd century temple to the Pagan god Mithras (god of the sun). Every level down took us deeper and deeper into history. We were so far underground at this point that we were able to observe the underground river running through a Republican-era drain. The frescoes are reportedly 9th and 11th century works of art and are well preserved. It's mind-boggling being in such ancient surroundings.
From journal Roman Holiday
Best of IgoUgoThe Church of San Clemente
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A visit to San Clemente is quite literally a trip through the history of Rome. Entering into the church, the new basilica is seen, with additions ranging from the 12th century to the 18th century. The apse is particularly beautiful, with a golden mosaic representing the tree of life. A quick glimpse around the interior, however, displays several unusual features. For one thing, the columns lining the main aisle aren't identical to one another. The different columns are the result of an early Christian construction practice of removing ancient columns from Roman structures and placing them in churches. In addition, looking at the bottom of the walls on the edge of the building reveals strange, short, filled-in arches. These arches,...
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From journal A Study Abroad Semester in Rome
Best of IgoUgoThe Church of San Clemente
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San Clemente is a wonderful place to begin a visit to Rome, since in many ways the church of San Clemente reflects the history of Rome. The architecture of Rome is constantly built, both figuratively and literally on what came before and this is true in San Clemente, whose physical roots reach back to pre-Christian Rome.
This is one of the oldest churches in Rome, dating from the fourth century. We entered the top, which dates from medieval times, and is dominated by beautiful mosaics with tons of gold. The mosaics were so beautiful that I got a book just on the mosaics, knowing that my photographs would not do them justice. There was also in the upper church, which is an ancient basilica in structure (big rectangle with columns...
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From journal Roman Pilgrimage
Best of IgoUgoThe church of S. Clemente
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Probably the best little known secret in Rome. Why don't more people go here? San Clemente is an incredibly beautiful church run by Irish monks from NY. Not only are there some fantastic mosaics and murals from the 17th century but pay E5 and you can descend a staircase to a burried 4th century church.
Even if the floor plan is a bit chewed up by the protruding foundations from the above church it is amazingly beautiful and eerily silent. A narrow corridor packed full of early Christian plaques and emblems leads to the first written example of modernised Italian (ie not Latin). And what is this first breakthrough in one of the world’s most studied and beautiful languages? It says something rude about a man’s mother. Oh dear.
Then...
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From journal Rome beyond the Ruins
What Others Are Saying About San Clemente:
- The Attraction
- Fascinating. - full attraction review at Yahoo! Travel
- The Attraction
- The excursion will take about 15-30 minutes but it is... - full attraction review at Yahoo! Travel