Santa Maria in Trastevere

church, Rome, Italy

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

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Santa Maria in Trastevere is a church in Rome, Italy, located in the Trastevere district across the Tiber River. Some sources claim it is the oldest church in Rome, with traditions suggesting Christians gathered at the site as early as the 3rd century CE. Pope Julius I is recorded as having rebuilt or raised a church there in the 4th century. The current structure is largely 12th-century Romanesque, featuring a notable mosaic facade. The church is situated in a district known for its Renaissance palaces and narrow, cobbled lanes that open onto small piazzas.1

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Rome
Trastevere
The Trastevere (“Across the Tiber”) district, long the home of powerful Roman families, features palaces built during the Renaissance (e.g., the Villa Farnesina) and later (e.g., the 18th-century Palazzo Corsini). Most of the streets are still narrow and without sidewalks. Every 100 paces or…
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The Trastevere (“Across the Tiber”) district, long the home of powerful Roman families, features palaces built during the Renaissance (e.g., the Villa Farnesina) and later (e.g., the 18th-century Palazzo Corsini). Most of the streets are still narrow and without sidewalks. Every 100 paces or…
Read More