051.

Chiesa di S. Clemente

The long street depicted on the left of S. Clemente (3), is the Stradone di S. Giovanni in Laterano, part of the Via Papale, the papal processional route linking St. Peter's to the Lateran. This section of the Via Papale was cut through under Sixtus V (1585-90), replacing the earlier, narrower path further to the south. It was planned to continue beyond the Colosseum (1) through the Roman Forum, but that section was never built. The Nolli map reveals that the convalescent hospital (2) mentioned by Vasi was attached to the church of S. Maria di Loreto. Dominating the view is the upper church of S. Clemente (3) and its Dominican monastery (4), built in the early years of the 12th century over the still extant remains of the early Christian church destroyed in 1084 by the Norman invader Gobert Guiscard. The rebuilt church maintained the forecourt characteristic of most early churches, one of the few churches in Rome to retain this feature. The facade and bell tower date from 1719 and were designed by Stefano Fontana during the reign of Clement XI (1700-21), whose coat of arms are incorporated in the design of the side door of the church (visible in the print).