Santo Stefano Rotondo

We immediately turn right when we exit the Santi Quattro Coronati and face an intersection, which, if we keep walking straight, will take us to the cathedral of Rome: the San Giovanni in Laterano. Unfortunately we can’t visit all Rome has to offer. So instead of going straight, we take a right in the Via de Santo Stefano Rotondo. On our left hand side, away from the road, there’s an early-Christian 4th century church.

Santo Stefano Rotondo te Rome, Monogrammist PL (tekenaar), 1689
Giovanni Battista Mercati ‘Ruines by  the Santo Stefano Rotondo’ 1629

Santo Stefano Rotondo te Rome, Monogrammist PL (tekenaar), 1689
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Santo Stefano Rotondo      Entrance

Santo Stefano Rotondo  exterior

Daniël Dupré ‘Santo Stefano Rotondo’ 1761 – 1817
Giovanni Battista Mercati ‘Santo Stefano Rotondo’ 1629

Daniël Dupré ‘Santo Stefano Rotondo’ 1761 – 1817
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Santo Stefano Rotondo facade

Entrance Santo Stefano Rotondo    Other side

The Santo Stefano Rotondo is one of the earliest examples of a centrally-planned church, in this case a high, large central room with two ring-shaped aisles around it. The round church has a cross-shaped map.

Santo Stefano Rotondo map   Drawing exterior    Aerial picture
1. Core
2. Interior revolution, as high as the cross arm
3. Exterior revolution
4. Cross arms
5. Court

Entrance of the Santo Stefano Rotondo      Zoom in
Daniël Dupré ‘Santo Stefano Rotondo’ 1761-1817

photos: Teggelaar

Entrance of the church      Inside      Church

Santo Stefano Rotondo entrance church
photos: Teggelaar and church: Divento

Schola cantorum

Santo Stefano Rotondo: Schola cantorum
photo: Enric Martinez i Vallmitjana

Santo Stefano Rotondo    Reconstruction

Santo Stefano Rotondo interior reconstruction
photos: Lalula and the reconstruction Katatexilux

Reconstruction     Dome reconstruction

photo: reconstruction Katatexilux

Dome    Reconstruction original dome

photos: Enric Martinez i Vallmitjana and reconstruction dome Katatexilux

In the 12th century, Innocentius II added three large ribbed vaults. This likely pertained to the poor condition of the wooden roof.

Aisle of the Santo Stefano Rotondo

Santo Stefano Rotondo interior
photos: Enric Martinez i Vallmitjana

Santo Stefano Rotondo    Top view

“The church was built on pre-existing Roman buildings, part of the Roman barracks of the Castra Peregrina, or Peregrinorum, ie accommodation of provincial troops, and over a Mithraeum dating back to 180 AD that was discovered in the 1973 to 1975 jobs. But above all it must be a round temple was reused, so archaic or otherwise dedicated to a Great Mother, as was, for example Isis. In fact they were also found remains of this temple: a head of Isis right next to the statue of Cautopates in Luni marble, 22 cm. Often the cult of Mithras was joined to the cult of Isis, perhaps because both had a mystery cult. According to the reconstructive hypothesis of some scholars on Macellum Magnum di Neroe, it was similar to the present church of S. Stefano Rotondo al Celio, ie with circular surrounded by columns around the perimeter surmounted by a dome.” Source:  Imperium Romanum

Mithras born of a rock altar left dedicated to Cautes and right to Cautopates

Mithras born of a rock altar left dedicated to Cautes and right to Cautopates
photo Carole Raddato

Mithras Petra Genetrix

“The Castra Peregrina was ultimately abandoned and handed over to the Church in the fifth century. A church dedicated to Saint Stephen was then built over the barracks. Excavations in the twentieth century have revealed that there is a a Mithraeu beneath the Santo Stefano, a shrine dedicated to the light god Mithras (often mistaken as the source for Christmas). This is hardly surprising, as the secretive cult of Mithras was very popular among soldiers.” Source Corvinus

According to some scholars, the Castra Peregrina also had the form of a central building with columns and a dome. Excavations under the Santa Stefano include a relief of Mithras, a head of Mithras and a statue of Mithras petra genetrix (Mithras born from a rock).

Mithras Petra Genetrix
photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen

Mithras relief

Mithras relief
photo: Carole Raddato

In the 16th century, the painter Pomarancio or Niccolò Circignani made a number of frescos about tortures on the walls. When looking at these, you feel rather compelled to divert your gaze from these horrors.

Pomarancio fresco Santo Stefano Rotondo

Niccolò Circignani fresco torture

Read more? Click here by Imperium Romanum: S. Stefano Rotondo

We leave the Santo Stefano Rotondo      Doors

Santo Stefano Rotondo exit
photos: Teggelaar

End of Rome day 3
Continuation Rome day 4: Santa Maria degli Angeli and Moses fountain