Santa Maria di Loreto Religious Site

Admission: Free (donations welcomed; small guided tours may charge)

Santa Maria di Loreto is a Renaissance church in central Rome located immediately adjacent to Trajan’s Column and the Trajan Forum. The building dates to the early 16th century and is traditionally attributed to Antonio da Sangallo the Younger.

The church is compact with a characteristic brick façade and dome, and is frequently noted for its location next to the ruins of the Imperial Fora. Visitors commonly see it when touring Trajan’s Column and the surrounding archaeological area.

Construction began in the early 1500s under Sangallo and the church was completed and modified by later architects over the course of the 16th century. Its design and close siting to Trajan’s Column reflect the Renaissance practice of integrating new religious buildings into dense urban fabric.

The church sits on the Capitoline/Imperial Fora axis in Rome, immediately beside Trajan’s Column and close to the Roman Forum and Via dei Fori Imperiali, making it accessible on foot from central archaeological sites.

Central Rome-within walking distance of Trajan’s Column and the Forum area. Best reached on foot as part of a loop through Rome’s archaeological center.

• Drop by when the nearby Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano area is quieter to appreciate the subtle details of this smaller church.
• Pay attention to the chapel dedications and inscriptions-these often tell local parish histories.