Monthly Archives: November 2011

A tour inside Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome, Italy gives visitors the clear understanding that this structure was used as a fortress, a residence, and as a prison. A passageway tall and wide enough to accommodate a horse-drawn wagon spirals from … Continue reading →

Castel Sant’Angelo began its existence as a mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian and his family. By the 14th century, Castel Sant’Angelo was conscripted by the popes for use as a fortress and a prison. Today, the structure is used as … Continue reading →

The Pantheon, like other Catholic Churches in Rome, Italy, is home to an impressive collection of art. Close to the entrance of the Pantheon, on the right as one enters, is a 1686 painting of The Madonna of the Girdle … Continue reading →

The Pantheon in Rome, Italy houses several altars and a number of paintings. Behind the high altar there is a copy of a 13th century icon of the Madonna. The altarpiece in the Chapel of the Madonna of Mercy is … Continue reading →

The Pantheon in Rome, Italy has the distinction of holding three important tombs. The first is that of the Italian painter and architect Raphael. Despite what Dan Brown wrote in his book Angels and Demons, Raphael’s tomb has always been … Continue reading →

The Pantheon in Rome, Italy was originally built by Agrippa and rebuilt by Hadrian in 126 AD. Its name derives from the idea that it was a temple to all the gods, but that conclusion is not certain. It was … Continue reading →

The Basilica of Saint Mary Above Minerva, like many Catholic Churches, contains a number of chapels and altars. In fact, the Basilica of Saint Mary Above Minerva includes at least 22 chapels and altars. The Chapel of St. Pius V … Continue reading →

From the outside, the Basilica of Saint Mary Above Minerva in Rome, Italy is a rather plain looking building. The basilica belongs to the Dominicans who began building the present structure in 1280 AD and completed it in 1370 AD. … Continue reading →