Art in Plain Sight

Art and the churches in Italy

The sun rises. The church bells ring, the cupolas glistening in the warm hue of the alba (sunrise). Your eyes are instantly charmed, but they are still not charged enough. You need an espresso to make it through the Vatican tour you’ve woken up at 6 a.m. for.

The Vatican museums are undoubtedly a must-do in Rome – there’s no argument there. But what if I told you that not all the treasures are found in the Vatican museums? Or the Galleria Borghese?

The treasures are hidden in plain sight – they are Rome’s 930-plus churches, which offer the public free access to priceless art and a vivid history of a city with more chapters than a Twilight series novel.

Churches are more than religion

Rome is 3,000 years old. A good millennium plus of that history was under religious rule, which echoes throughout the city. St. Peter’s cupola is a lasting symbol of the Roman skyline, a 2000-year-old reminder of St Peter’s pilgrimage to Rome to make it the capital of Christianity.

Since then, Rome has endured it all – military coups, 260-plus popes, and TikTok carbonara wars – with churches commissioned in every era, reflecting different political periods and architectural styles. Today, beautiful Baroque churches lean against gray utilitarian buildings, remnants of Italy’s Fascist regime, and a McDonald’s wedged somewhere in between.

This is Rome, a massive open-air museum, a sociological study, and an ongoing archeological dig. Accessing this history requires a stroll, a little curiosity, and a few pro tips.

The nuns with the keys

We all know that Rome’s true celebrities are the nuns and the tourists who are their paparazzi. Swiping through social media posts, some of the most charming visuals of Rome are nuns taking strolls atop the cobblestones, doing normal things like eating gelato, or having a good chiacchierata (chat).

But what you don’t know is that nuns – along with other clergy members – have a special job: safeguarding pieces of art. They ensure everything stays calm and your toddler doesn’t accidentally poke a hole through a 550-year-old Caravaggio painting.

Nuns also have secrets. Behind the Church façades and sanctuaries are prized art collections, which you can view too.

Enter Santa Cecilia in Trastevere – a marvelous church with an equally charming courtyard. Many head here to explore the crypts – but the real secret is upstairs, where the choir sings.

There, you will find a stunning mosaic by Pietro Cavallini – one of the most remarkable painters of the 8th century – depicting Il Giudizio (The Last Judgment) with fantastically crisp brush strokes that make it seem modern. It is a brilliant example of Roman naturalism.

To see this masterpiece, you need only knock on the side entrance of the church. Nuns and other clergy members have separate entrances, and you will notice that the doors on the sides of many churches are outfitted with intercoms.

If you ring the intercom at Santa Cecilia, you can go on a Nicholas Cage-like adventure – into a secret elevator and up to the Church’s secret collection and Last Judgment mural. Be aware! You will have to dole out a 3-Euro cash “donation.”

Secrets hidden in plain sight

Not all secret church art requires passing the nuns’ guard.

Many times, you can wonder inside curiously and spontaneously. Use your gut. If you see an open church, don’t be scared to wander in and explore. Churches in Rome are usually open outside of their service hours.

No matter what time you go, there’s no fee or line. And, you never know what you might find, what might inspire you, and what will stay in your memory forever.

But we will get you started with one secret – the other Michelangelo.

Steps away from the long lines of the Pantheon is Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi (Saint Louis of the French) – Rome’s national French Church since 1589. It was erected in honor of the only French King canonized – King Louis IX. But, of course, being medieval Rome, that was only a political initiative. The Church was commissioned by Giulio de’ Medici – who later became Pope Clement VII and played a large role in balancing the tensions between France and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

But, of course, you’re not here to study trivial facts of Renaissance politics. You’re here for not one but three Caravaggio paintings inside Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi. Caravaggio – whose real name was Michelangelo Merisi, made himself known as the “other” Michelangelo – and was quite the exquisite Renaissance painter. The paintings depict scenes of Saint Matthew and are nestled in the left-hand corner by the sanctuary, waiting for you to see.

Finally, don’t forget to dress the part (pro tip)

Churches are still places of worship with historic dressing standards. So, your payment for all the art accessibility is to dress appropriately. Cover your shoulders and even your knees if you can. Of course, when Rome’s heat is unbearable, entering with shorts is understandable. But bring a scarf with you to cover your shoulders and chest. Churches like Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi require it.

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