Holy-Marie-Major basilica
The Holy Basilique Marie Majeure of Rome is one of the four Major Basilicas. It is the property of the the Vatican. It is the largest monument with the glory of the Virgin Mary.
History
The legend tells that in August 356, the Virgin asked the holy Pape Libère to set up a sanctuary. In the morning, noting that it had snowed in full August, the pope ordered to build the Liberiana basilica of " Santa Maria AD Nives" on the surface covered with snow in top of the hill Esquilin.The nave still contains ionic columns going back to this first sanctuary.
Its 75 meters high bell-tower goes back to the Middle Ages.
The sanctuary will be then altered with the Rebirth with which we owe the coffered ceiling. Then, the time baroque constructs the two cupolas and the frontages Western and Eastern.
The basilica Sainte Marie Majeure is, with its plan basilical with the noble proportions, its mosaics, its imposing vaults Polychrome S of the Counter-Reformation, a summary of the great stages of the Christian art in Rome.
Its initial frontage comprised mosaics of Filippo Rusuti.
It shelters the tomb of Pauline Bonaparte, sister of Napoleon.