Santa Costanza is a haven of peace in the midst of a
bustling city. A magical space, no wonder it is one of the most popular sites for weddings. A new metro stop on line B (Sant'Agnese/Annibaliano), only 4 stops from Termini station, renders its access much easier. 2 miles away from the ancient city walls, it is one of the very first examples of central plan Christian buildings.
Identified as the mausoleum of Costanza, the daughter of the emperor
Constantine and built in one of the properties of the family, its function has recently been questioned. Probably meant to be initially the tomb of her younger sister Helen, the body of Costanza might have been placed here later. The mid IV century
building housed her porphyry sarcophagus moved to the Vatican Museums in the
XVIII century.
If the exterior is rather austere with a simple brick pattern,
the interior is surprising. (make sure you take some coins to get the lights
turned on). The IV century mosaics of Santa Costanza deal with pagan themes common
in Roman funerary art largely adopted by Christianity with new meanings. So the putti harvesting
grapes to make wine are no longer acting only in honor of Bacchus and the wine takes on a new meaning for Christians. It's a moment of transition but the 'revolution' is smooth and harmonious.
Harvesting putti. Mirrors, cornucopias, peacocks. |
XVII centuries graffiti. |
The mausoleum was first converted into the baptistery
of the Church of Santa Agnese (VII century) and then into a church
dedicated to Santa Costanza (1254) who became a martyr in the Middle Ages without
any historical evidence.
The mausoleum was located by one of the very first
Christian basilicas built in Rome in the IV century sponsored by Constantine
(the emperor that legalized Christianity) and dedicated to the martyr St. Agnes
whose remains are supposedly in the nearby catacombs. Despite the lack of reliable information
about her, she is one of the most popular saints, supposedly martyred around the
age of 13 under the reign of Diocletian. This basilica was not technically a church but a funerary hall, its floor was covered with burials, partly
discovered during recent excavations. Used
for funerary banquets, mass was held only once a year for the feast
of the martyr. Shaped as typical Roman
racetracks , also called circiform
from circus, these basilicas are a typical Roman
solution even if they were found also elsewhere (in Bir
Ftouha, north of Carthage or Aquileia). In Rome such peculiar type of building
was first identified in 1915 (San Sebastiano on the Via Appia). Their shape is symbolic if we consider how initially the life
of a Christian is compared to a challenging competition to get, in conclusion,
the palm of victory (the heavenly bliss).
Perimeter wall of the circus shaped basilica. |
It was was externally surrounded by more tombs and
mausoleums (such as the one of Costanza). The remains of the Constantinian basilica are still visible: the great perimeter wall with buttresses and
windows is best viewed from piazza
Annibaliano, the inner area is occupied
by a meadow now. Its marble columns were
probably recycled for the construction of the new church that the pope Honorius in the VII century wanted to locate directly on the tomb of the martyr
Agnes.
Opening hours – from 9 to 12 and from 3 to 6 pm.
Free entrance.
Visits are not allowed on Sunday morning and during functions or weddings.