Santa Maria in Ara Coeli Church

Address: Piazza del Campidoglio, 00186 Rome, Italy

Hours: Typically open daily for worship; visiting hours vary (roughly 8:00am-6:00pm)

Admission: Free to enter for worship; some visits for guided tours may have small fees or request donations.

Santa Maria in Ara Coeli is a historic basilica located on the summit of Rome’s Capitoline Hill, notable for its civic prominence and long use as a place of public worship since the medieval period.

Erected on a prominent ancient site, the present church has medieval origins and was adapted over subsequent centuries; it served both religious and ceremonial civic functions in Rome’s urban life. Many of its chapels and furnishings date from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance.

Perched on the Capitoline Hill in central Rome, the basilica overlooks Piazza Venezia and is within easy walking distance of other central landmarks such as the Roman Forum and the Vittoriano.

• Approach and setting: The church sits at the top of the Capitoline Hill and is accessed by a prominent flight of steps from Piazza Venezia, making the approach itself part of the visit.
• Devotional statue and visiting notes: Contains an important devotional statue known as the Santo Bambino and several medieval and Renaissance artworks inside; photography and visiting hours can be restricted during services.

What to See#

• Steps from Piazza Venezia: The long stepped approach from Piazza Venezia rising to the church on the Capitoline Hill, historically used as a civic and pilgrimage route.
• Santo Bambino chapel: The interior chapel that displays the wooden statue known locally as the Santo Bambino, a devotional Child Jesus image that attracts popular devotion.
• Terrace and viewpoints: A terrace and viewpoints adjacent to the church that look out over parts of the Roman Forum and central Rome.

Located on the Capitoline Hill near Piazza Venezia; a 10-15 minute walk from the Roman Forum and Colosseum. From Termini station take buses or a 20-25 minute walk.

• Climb the Capitoline steps nearby for views of the Forum and to feel the church's civic placement.
• Attend a morning mass to hear the church's acoustics support Gregorian chant or organ pieces.
• Visit the mosaic floor in the Cappella dei Massimi, often overlooked.