Description
Aventine streets
We’ll pick up again once you’ve left the abbey, as you leave the grounds and come out into the street.PRESS PAUSE.We suggest continuing our stroll through the Aventine streets towards the church of Santa Prisca, one of the oldest Christian sites in the neighbourhood. We’ll also be able to see the baptismal font said to have been used by St Peter. The walk takes about twenty minutes. When you leave the monastery, turn immediately right and walk down the road until you reach the Piazza Sant Anselmo.PRESS PAUSE.From there we’ll take the Via di San Domenico, which will be on your left when you come into the Piazza San Anselmo, and go right to the end.We’re about to discover a more intimate side of Rome: a world of quiet, leafy streets that is miles away from the hustle and bustle of the hectic modern city. At the end of the Via di San Domenico, you’ll come into the Piazza di Giunone Regina or “Queen Juno’s Square”. We’ll be waiting there.PRESS PAUSE.We’re now in the Piazza di Giunone Regina. As its name suggests, in Antiquity a temple dedicated to Juno was situated here. We’ll take the street leading off to the right, the Via Latina Malabranca, which leads to the Piazza del Tempio di Diana.PRESS PAUSE.We’re now in the square of Diana’s temple, where in Antiquity the temple of Diana, the goddess of the hunt, was to be found. So we can see that the Hill has always had religious connotations. To the right of the square you can see a small mediaeval house, its upper floor decorated with a row of small arcades. At the other end of the square a street leads off towards the left. This is the Via del Tempio di Diana. It leads directly into the Piazza Santa Prisca, dominated by the church façade. The façade will be opposite us when we get into the square. There are stairs leading up to the entrance to the church and this is where we’ll find you.PRESS PAUSE.We’re now standing on one of the oldest Christian sites in the Aventine. Santa Prisca was the young daughter of Aquila and Priscilla, who were acquainted with Saint Paul, according to the Acts of the Apostles. Legend also has it that Saint Peter received hospitality from this family in their house, which stood where the church is today. Under the reign of Emperor Claudius, Prisca was sentenced to be eaten by lions. She managed to escape from her executioners and was finally decapitated. But we actually know very little about Saint Prisca’s character and no traces of the house have been found beneath the church. Let’s go up the steps and into the church.PRESS PAUSE.The interior of the church is quite small. What we’re looking at is the result of substantial alterations carried out in the 17th century. The area is divided into three naves by two rows of antique columns. Let’s go up to the high altar, which is facing us when we have our backs to the main entrance. It is adorned with a large painting depicting the baptism of Saint Prisca by Saint Peter. The work dates from the late 16th century and is in fairly classical style. Saint Peter fills the right-hand side of the canvas. He is pouring water on the head of Saint Prisca, who is kneeling on the left of the picture, glorified by two small flying angels. Nothing particularly original there. This said, the artist, a certain Domenico Cresti, was obviously inspired by the work of more prestigious artists such as Caravaggio and imitated his chiaroscuro technique. In other words, like Caravaggio, although with less talent, he recreated some fairly striking contrasts between patches of shade and lighter-coloured areas.The baptismal font reputedly used by Saint Peter for Saint Prisca’s baptism still exists. It can be found in the baptismal chapel of the church, in the right-hand lateral nave. It is actually a large Corinthian capital which was perhaps used in Antiquity for baptisms and still serves the same purpose today.If you want to, you can visit the baptistery which you’ll find on your right as you face the high altar. We’ll leave the church after that and wait for you outside.PRESS PAUSE.Photo Ripa - casale Torlonia all'Aventino (tempio di Diana) O3240013 by Lalupa under CC BY-SA 3.0
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