Santa maria degli angeli michelangelo biography

Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, usually known only as Santa Maria degli Angeli, is a titular basilica church in Rome, built inside the frigidarium of the Baths of Diocletian in the 16th century, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the angels and to the Christian slaves who died building the Baths of Diocletian.

It is on the Piazza della Repubblica, and near the Termini train station.

For reference, a plan of the church is available here.

Santa maria degli angeli michelangelo biography

History

The church was built in the remains of the Baths of Diocletian by orders of Pope Pius IV (1559-1565), after a Sicilian priest, Fr. Antonio Del Duca, had a vision of angels in the ruins in 1541. Michelangelo designed it and started the work in 1563, and after his death in 1564 (incidentally the same year that Fr.

Del Duca died) his design was completed by Jacopo Del Duca, nephew of Fr. Antonio and pupil of Michelangelo. Although the interior has changed considerably and the floor has been raised a few feet, this is o