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Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome
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Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome

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Santa Maria in Cosmedin tips and photos posted by real travelers and Rome locals.
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Santa Maria in Cosmedin: Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
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  • The inside of the church Santa M.in Cosmedi - Rome
    The inside of the church Santa
    M.in Cosmedi
    by chiara76
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    One of the most beautiful churches in Rome , in my opinion of course.
    There is the medieval church with beautiful mosaics inside.
    In the portico there is the relief called "Bocca della Verita" in my free translation the Mouth of the truth. The legend says if the liar put his hand inside of the opened mouth they will close on his hand:) To be honest all people around put their hands inside the mouth. Are there no liars on the world? :)

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  • Address: Piazza della Bocca della Verita
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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: My Favorite Piazza and Church in Rome
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  • You will love this place. The fountain and Church are wonderful. Place your hand in the mouth of Truth and test your luck. Also note the two Temples.

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  • Address: Piazza della Bocca della Verita
  • Directions: From piazza Venetia walk towards the Theatre Marcella down towards the river. After the Theater is a Temple Hercules, then another round Temple and the fountain on the right, then across the street is the Church...Santa Maria in Cosmiden
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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: Santa Maria in Cosmedin
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  • This church was built by pope Hadrian I in the 8th century.The distinctive seven storey bell tower and portico were added in the 12th century. Cosmati inlaid marble decorates the floor, high altar and choir.

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  • Address: Piazza della Bocca della Verita 18
  • Directions: From Circus Maximus follow the Via dei Cerchi to reach the Piazza della Bocca della Verita, where the Forum Boarium and the Santa Maria in Cosmedin are located.
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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: Santa Maria in Cosmedin
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  • Santa Maria in Cosmedin (Jan 08) - Rome
    Santa Maria in Cosmedin
    (Jan 08)
    by MM212,
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    A church since the 6th century, Santa Maria in Cosmedin serves the Greek community in Rome. Much of the standing structure, though, dates from the 12th and 13th centuries. This Romanesque-style church is most famous for "la Bocca della Verità", which gave the outside piazza its name and translates to "mouth of truth". It is an old cistern cover carved with a face and an open mouth which, according to legend, closes on the hands of liars. Unfortunately, the image of this beautiful church is cheapened, in my opinion, by la Bocca della Verità, which seems to be an obsession of tourists who queue up just to have their picture taken with a hand in the mouth. Fortunately, one could ignore these tourists and enter the church peacefully without a queue to admire the mesmerising and more important interior with its recycled Roman columns and other ancient materials.

  • Address: Piazza Bocca della Verità
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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: Santa Maria in Cosmedin
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  • The belltower of this church was built in the early 12C. In the 6C the district between he Aventine and the Tiber was inhabited by Greeks. In the porch is the Bocca della Verita (mouth of truth) and according to popular legend the mouth would snap shut on the hand of anyone with a guilty conscience. Wouldn't that be just about anyone?

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  • Directions: Just across the Tevere river from the Trastevere district and south of the Capitolino area, real close to the Tiberina island.
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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: S.ta Maria in Cosmedin
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  • details of the interior - Rome
    details of the interior
    by janchan
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    Not only the church with the famous Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth) under the front porch. The interior is very interesting and there is also a precious mosaic from the VIII century !

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  • Directions: The closest metro stop is Circo Massimo on the B line.
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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church
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  • Santa Maria in Cosmedin church - Rome
    Santa Maria in Cosmedin church
    by monica71, 1 more photos
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    I really enjoyed visiting this tiny church, with very few and simple decorations. The altar is very simply decorated.

    The church was built in the 6th century, but it was damaged in 1084 and most of the original decorations are gone now. It was rebuilt years later, when a bell tower was added.

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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: Santa Maria
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  • This fairly unadorned looking church was built on the site of a food market during the 6th century. A Romanesque bell tower and portico were added to the church in the 12th century. In the 19th century a Baroque facade was removed in order to restore the church to its original form. The church features are the mosaic pavement and a canopy over the main altar as well as the raised choir and bishop's throne.

    Set into the wall is the famed Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth). This was in the movie, 'Roman Holiday'. This is thought to have been a drain cover dating before the 4th century B.C. Medieval tradition had it that the formidable jaws of the mouth would snap shut over the hands of those who told lies - which proved to be useful for testing the faithfulness of spouses.

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  • Address: Piazza della Bocca della Verita
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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: SANTA MARIA IN COSMEDIN - just...
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  • SANTA MARIA IN COSMEDIN - just a nice church from 6th century (belltower was added in 12th century) famous with tourist because of Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth). This may have been a drain cover dating back to before the 4th century BC. Medieval tradition had it that the formidable jaws would snap shut over the hand of those who told lies.

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  • Other Contact: Aventine part of Rome, near Teve
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    Santa Maria in Cosmedin: A Roman Church with Greek Foundations, Part I
    Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Roma, May 2007 - Rome
    Santa Maria in Cosmedin,
    Roma, May 2007
    by von.otter,
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    Here is how the basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin got its name.

    The pope gave this church to Greek refugees who had fled the iconoclastic persecutions in the Eastern Roman Empire. First the church was called the aecclesia Grecorum, “of the Greek church,” or schola Graeca, “the Greek community.” Because of the church’s rich decoration, by the early nineth century, the Greek congregation was calling it Mariae in Cosmedi, Maria in Cosmedin. Cosmedin, the Latin version of the Greek word kosmidion, meaning beautiful, was attached to it. A Greek community had been present in the Forum Boarium for many years, explaining the presence of the Temple to Hercules. This Greek connection continues; the church is maintained by a Greek order of clerics today.

    Built upon the foundations of the Temple of Hercules Invictus in the Forum Boarium, the cattle market of Ancient Rome, originally Santa Maria in Cosmedin was a deaconry engaged in charity distribution to the poor. Two popes were elected here, Gelasius II (who had been Cardinal Deacon of Titulus S. Mariae in Cosmedin) and Celestine III. An antipope, Benedict XIII, was elected here too.

    At the left end of the church’s portico stands, what for many visitors is the main draw at Santa Maria in Cosmedin, the Bocca della Verità. This ancient circular marble sculpture, in the form of a human face, is thought to have been a drain covering at the Temple of Hercules. Another explanation of its origins is that it was part of a wall fountain at a villa on the near-by Aventine Hill.

    The facade of the church has a severe Mediaeval appearance. When the Normans sacked Rome in 1084, the church was damaged; it was rebuilt and the marvelous slender bell tower was added, the tallest Romanesque-style belfry in the Eternal City.

    Opening hours are Monday through Sunday the church opens at 09:00 and closes at 19:00. It closes at 13:00 and re-opens at 14:30.

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  • Address: Piazza della Bocca della Verita, 18
  • Phone: 06-6781419
  • Directions: By the Circus Maximus in the valley between the Palatine, Aventine and Capitoline Hills Metro: Circo Massimo Bus: 15, 23, 57, 90, 90b, 94, 716.
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