Santa Maria in Via Lata is a church on the
Via del Corso
The Via del Corso is a main street in the historical centre of Rome. It is straight in an area otherwise characterized by narrow meandering alleys and small piazzas. Considered a wide street in ancient times, the Corso is approximately 10 metres ...
(the ancient
Via Lata
The Via del Corso is a main street in the historical centre of Rome. It is straight in an area otherwise characterized by narrow meandering alleys and small piazzas. Considered a wide street in ancient times, the Corso is approximately 10 metre ...
), in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. It stands diagonal from the church of
San Marcello al Corso.
It is the
Station days
Station days were days of fasting in the early Christian Church, associated with a procession to certain prescribed churches in Rome, where the Mass and Vespers would be celebrated to mark important days of the liturgical year. Although other ...
for Tuesday, the fifth week of lent.
[
]
History
The first Christian place of worship here was a 5th-century oratory (chapel with welfare centre) in the Roman building beneath the present church. This was constructed within the remains of a large Roman warehouse, some long, which has also been excavated. Murals were added to the lower level between the 7th and 9th centuries (these have been detached for conservation reasons). Due to the frequent flooding of the Tiber, in 1049 the church was rebuilt with an upper level added.["Church of Santa Maria in via Lata", Turismo Roma, Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion Department]
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Architecture
The Arcus Novus (an arch erected by emperor Diocletian in 303–304), which stood on this site were destroyed during reconstruction of the c