Rome I. Michelangelo, Caravaggio and a little Bernini

You can go to museums in Rome to see the masters and their masterpieces. Or you can go for a pleasant stroll through the narrow, winding streets of Rome and see great art (paintings, statues, frescoes, etc.) for free, usually in churches. Statues by Michelangelo and Bernini and paintings by Caravaggio can be seen for free in these small churches scattered around Rome. By the way, you should still find time to go the museums.

Basilica of St. Peter in Chains (Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli)

The Basilica of St. Peter in Chains is the repository for the chains that bound St. Peter when he was arrested. These chains are a fusion of the chains that confined St. Peter in prison in Jerusalem and the chains that bound him int the Mamertine Prison in Rome.I’m not commenting on the accuracy of this claim, just that it is the origin of the church’s name. It also has a statue of Moses carved by Michelangelo.

Moses. This was supposed to decorate the tomb of Pope Julius II in St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelangelo’s original design was intended to display 40 of his statues. Julius II, however, pulled Michelangelo off the tomb project to paint the Sistine Chapel and this wall “panel” was the only tomb-piece that was completed. Funding for the project dried up when Julius died; his family moved what was finished to the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains where Julius II had been a cardinal. Julius II is buried in St. Peter’s.
Moses

There were a couple of simpler tombs in this church. I think they have their own “unique” charm.

Parish Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo (Basilica Parrocchiale Santa Maria del Popolo)

This basilica is the home to two paintings by Caravaggio and a couple of Bernini sculptures.
Conversion of St. Paul
Crucifixion of St. Peter
Habbakuk and the Angel by Bernini in the Chigi Chapel. There is another Bernini sculpture in this chapel- it cannot be seen from the entrance to the chapel.

Basilica of Saint Augustine. (Basilica di Sant’Agostino)

Madonna of Loreto (Madonna di Loreto) or Pilgrims’ Madonna (Madonna dei Pellegrini) by Caravaggio

Church of Saint Louis of the French (Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi)

There are 3 paintings by Caravaggio in the Chapel of St. Matthew depicting scenes from his life.
The Calling of St. Matthew
The Inspiration of St. Matthew
The Martyrdom of St. Matthew

Basilica of Saint Mary above Minerva (Basilica di Santa Maria sopra Minerva)

In front of the basilica, that’s a Bernini statue (1667 CE) supporting an obelisk (580 BC), taken from Egypt in the 1st century CE.
The Risen Christ or Christ the Redeemer or Christ Carrying the Cross. by Michelangelo. The bronze loincloth was added later (not by Michelangelo).

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