What is there
to see?

This basilica is located in a very famous neighborhood, right next to the Capitol hill (Capitoline Museums) and the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. You can visit it via the characteristic staircase called the Scalinata dell’Aracoeli.

It’s a beautifully adorned church, with chandeliers and lustres at every corner. This makes it appear lavish on one hand but also somehow cozy.

By the way, the name Ara Coeli means “Altar of Heaven” and is associated with several legends.

One legend revolves around the so-called “Santo Bambino”, which you can see in one of the chapels. According to legend, the sculpture was made by a Franciscan monk in Jerusalem. He used wood from an olive tree in the Garden of Gethsemane. However, he lacked paint to complete the sculpture. An angel then appeared to him and finished the work!

And as if that weren’t enough: on the way to Rome, the sculpture fell overboard during a severe storm at sea. But it didn’t sink; instead, it miraculously swam after the ship. Unfortunately, the sculpture was stolen in 1994 and has been missing since then. Today, only a copy is visible in the chapel.

Another legend for lovers:
The staircase is also called the “Wedding Staircase”. It is said that couples who manage to climb this staircase together to the top will be able to overcome anything in life together. Whether this is true or not, I like the idea 😉