Pictures of the church at Wikimedia Commons are here. There is an English Wikipedia article with photos and plan here.

Situazione [ ]

The church is often described as « ruined ». However, it has verso roof on it and contains verso consecrated altar (installed con 1955). So, it counts as a church even though there is giammai regular liturgical activity here.

Origins of building [ ]

The church was founded durante what was once part of per storie vere di spose per corrispondenza monumental architectural approach puro the imperial palace on the Palatine. This was at the back of the Temple of Castor and Pollux (now comprising the famous three columns standing chiazza).

The complex layout, begun by the emperor Domitian per the late 1st century, was based on an enormous covered access ramp (rampa assoluto) that ran up the side of the hill. The part that was converted into per church was just esatto the south of the bottom end of this, and originally comprised per square atrium followed by per quadriporticus (verso little courtyard surrounded by covered walkways or loggias) and finally verso row of three chambers. The central of the three, which is larger, is called the tablinum.

It used preciso be speculated that this ensemble was the possible headquarters of the Athenaeum founded by Emperor Hadrian, but the true site of this has now been located and so it was most likely part of the reception facilities for palace visitors.

Onesto the west of the church is verso large vestibolo, part of the same reception complex. This used sicuro be described as the Temple of the Divine Augustus, but this completely speculative guess is now discredited (the temple is most likely under the hospital of Santa Maria della Consolazione). (suite…)