Adjacent to Palazzo Colonna, the basilica today has a fifteenth-century portico that hides the neoclassical facade by Giuseppe Valadier. Inside the narthex you can see the funerary stele of the engraver Giovanni Volpato, the work of Antonio Canova and other tombstones.
Neoclassical remains the upper floor of the facade with the large window, where Giovanni Torlonia, still only duke at the time, wanted the sumptuous memory of his intervention in 1827 to be engraved: "IOANNES DVX TORLONIA FRONTEM PERFECIT A D MDCCCXXVII".
Inside, characterized by a solemn and severe architecture, you can admire works by Antoniazzo Romano, Benedetto Luti, Giuseppe Cades (the Ecstasy of San Giuseppe da Copertino) and some tomb reliefs from the 15th century, one of which by Mino from Fiesole. Also admirable is the Tomb of Lorenzo Colonna, a Renaissance work by Luigi Capponi, a follower of Andrea Bregno. Impressive for the illusionistic effect is the Fall of the rebel Angels over the presbytery, by Giovanni Odazzi. But the two best known works are the sumptuous fresco on the vault, decorated by the Triumph of the Franciscan Order by Baciccio (1707) and the monumental sepulcher of Pope Clement XIV by Antonio Canova (1787). The vault of the sacristy is decorated by the Venetian Sebastiano Ricci. The cardinals Basilio Bessarione, Lorenzo Brancati, Agostino Casaroli and the composer Girolamo Frescobaldi are buried in the basilica.
The vast crypt under the high altar was built by Luigi Carimini in 1869-71 bringing together, in addition to the remains of the titular apostles Philip and James, the relics of various other martyrs that came to light during these excavations, and the tombs of two of the Riario, once owners of the presbytery [unclear]. The tempera decorations of the ambulatory are inspired by those of the catacombs of San Callisto and Domitilla.
Basilica of the Saints XII Apostles
Address: Piazza dei Santi Apostoli
Phone: 3334571245
Site:
http:// Frescobaldoifestival.itLocation inserted by
Elvira Maria Iannuzzi