Santa Maria del Popolo Church

Santa Maria del Popolo is a basilica at the southern end of Rome’s Piazza del Popolo, known for its rich collection of Renaissance and Baroque art. The church interior contains chapels and altarpieces by leading artists of the 15th to 17th centuries.

The Cerasi Chapel, which displays two major canvases by Caravaggio, and the Chigi Chapel, where Raphael and later Bernini contributed architectural and sculptural work. The basilica’s chapels contain frescoes, tombs and decorative programmes spanning several centuries.

Founded on a medieval site and rebuilt and redecorated repeatedly from the late 15th century onward, the church acquired much of its present decoration during Renaissance and Baroque campaigns under successive popes and patrons. Notable artists were commissioned for chapels and tombs, resulting in the assemblage seen today.

The basilica occupies a prominent site at Piazza del Popolo in northern central Rome, a short distance from the Pincian Hill and Villa Borghese gardens.

• Location in Piazza del Popolo: Situated at the southern end of Piazza del Popolo, the church is a common stop on walking routes around Rome’s historic center.
• Artistic highlights: Interior chapels include important works by Caravaggio, Raphael and Bernini, making it a concentrated site for major Renaissance and Baroque art.

What to See#

• Cerasi Chapel (Caravaggio paintings): The Cerasi Chapel on the right side of the nave contains two major paintings by Caravaggio - the Conversion of Saint Paul and the Crucifixion of Saint Peter - dating from the early 17th century.
• Chigi Chapel (Raphael and Bernini): The Chigi Chapel, designed by Raphael and later completed by Bernini, is located in the transept and contains sculptural and architectural work by major Renaissance and Baroque artists.

A short walk from Piazza del Popolo and accessible from the Flaminio metro stop (Line A) or several buses that serve the northern edge of the historic center.

• Don't miss the Chigi Chapel for its Bernini sculpture and the mellow light from the high windows in the morning.
• The piazza outside has a lively café scene-pause there afterward to watch Rome's social choreography.