Santi Cosma e Damiano — Attraction in Rome

Built in the early 6th century AD, the Basilica dei Santi Cosma e Damiano (Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian) is the oldest church in the Imperial Forum in Rome. It adjoins an ancient Roman temple (which can be viewed through a glass wall in the back) and features original early Christian mosaics in the apse.

The church is entered through an adjacent convent on Via dei Fori Imperiali, a major road running alongside the Imperial Forum and ending at the Colosseum. The side walls of the basilica are original from the 4th-century Roman hall, but they are not visible due to the convent buildings that surround them.

From the Forum, you can see the round Temple of Jupiter Stator (3rd-century BC) with its original bronze doors (early 300s AD). The original key still turns in the door, but visitors may not enter the temple. Its excavated interior can, however, be clearly viewed from a full-length glass wallin the church above.

The 6th century apse mosaic in the Byzantine style is original and justly famous. It is illuminated by a coin-operated light in the left aisle. It provided inspiration for many later mosaics. It depicts the Parousia or Second Coming of Christ "on the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). The manner in which Christ is depicted is Roman rather than Byzantine, despite the obvious Byzantine style of the work as a whole.

The mosaic features Christ standing on red clouds (representing the dawn), dressed in golden robes labeled with the monogram I. He holds the scroll of the Law in...

The Temple Of Peace also known as the Forum of Vespasian, but didn’t receive the recognition of a true forum so it was classified as a temple. The Temple of Peace was built to celebrate Emperor Vespasian’s conquest of Jerusalem ( Jewish revolt). The Temple was constructed in 71 AD – 75 AD. It faces the direction of the Coliseum. Placed in the Market of Republican era. The Temple of Peace housed art masterpieces such as the Seven-arm Candelabrum and the Silver trumpets. (That was later taken and put on other monuments.) In 64 AD during the Nero’s Reign, there was a fire that destroyed most of the Temple, which lead to Septimus Serverus thought to reconstruct the building in 192 AD, some remains of the Temple of peace are found today. The building was mostly made up of white marble and pink Aswan granite. The hall to the temple was not a square but a rectangle, and had a apse, two rows of columns, central area was not paved, had six rows of garden areas with center pools, and pedestals for statues. There was once a statue on a podium inside the temple of a woman-sitting branch in right hand and left hand rested on her lap. Most of the Temple of Peace no longer exist but for a few smaller building located...

This is an interesting basilica that dates back to the 527 AD. It is dedicated to St. Cosmas and Damian, two 3rd-century Arabian Christian brothers and doctors. Historically, the basilica was created by way of repurposing and uniting the Temple of Romulus (circa 4th century) and the an earlier imperial library building.

There are two entrances, the first directly into the round rotunda of the old Temple of Romulus located within the Imperial Forum grounds while the other is facing Via dei Fori Imperiali. There are both morning and afternoon opening times so its a good idea to check before trying to visit.

Entering from Via dei Fori Imperiali, there is a nice portico lined cloister that you walk through before entering the main church. You will find a nave lined with frescos leading to an attractive altar in front of apse masterpiece Byzantine mosaics (circa 6th and 7th century). There are three chapels on both sides of the nave with additional wall frescos and artworks.

All in all, Basilica dei Santi Cosma e Damiano makes for a nice place to visit if you are sightseeing around the Forum and enjoy viewing...