Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri

Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri is a Roman Catholic church in Rome built within and adapted from the ruined frigidarium of the ancient Baths of Diocletian. The conversion was carried out in the mid-16th century under the supervision of Michelangelo, making the church an important Renaissance adaptation of Roman architecture.

Visitors see a large interior that preserves massive Roman walls and barrel vaulting, Renaissance and later chapels, and a notable meridian line used historically for astronomical and calendar purposes. The church interior is spacious and uses the scale of the ancient baths to house liturgical spaces and artworks.

Michelangelo directed the conversion work in the 16th century, adapting the Roman bath hall into a place of Christian worship on papal commission. Subsequent additions and furnishings date from later centuries, and the meridian installation dates to the early 18th century.

The church stands in central Rome beside the Piazza della Repubblica and a short walk from Roma Termini railway station, occupying a section of the ancient Baths of Diocletian complex in the Trevi/Esquilino area.

• Meridian line (detail): The interior contains a meridian line installed for solar observations, visible on the floor and used historically to check the calendar and measure solar noon.
• Central location: Located adjacent to Rome Termini station and the Piazza della Repubblica, the church is easily reached on foot from central Rome.

What to See #

• Meridian line: A brass meridian line installed inside the church in the early 18th century used for astronomical observations and calendar studies.
• Baths of Diocletian fabric: Large interior spaces converted from the frigidarium of the Baths of Diocletian, retaining massive Roman walls and arches that shape the church's layout.