Santa Maria Antiqua

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Santa Maria Antiqua, in the Forum Romanum.

Santa Maria Antiqua (Ancient St. Mary) is a church in Rome, built in the 5th century in the Forum Romanum, and for long time the monumental access to the Palatine imperial palaces. It is possible that the Titulus Cyriaci, recorded in the acts of the 499 synod, is to be identified with this church.

One of the several Byzantine-style frescoes of the church.

Pope John VII used this church in the early 8th century as see of the bishop of Rome.

The church was partially destroyed in 847, when an earthquake caused parts of the imperial palaces to collapse and cover the church. For this reason, the construction of a new church called Santa Maria Nova (New St. Mary, now Santa Francesca Romana) was started nearby.

Santa Maria Antiqua suffered further damages during the Norman Sack of Rome (1084). A new church, Santa Maria Liberatrice, was built over the old one. In 1902, Santa Maria Antiqua was freed from all superposed structures.

The inside of the church is decorated with ancient frescoes, dating back to Pope Martin I (649-655), Pope John VII (705-707), and Pope Zachary (741-752).