North of Termini
Near, north of Piazza della Repubblica, on via XX Settembre stands the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria built by Carlo Maderno. Its interior is one of the most impressive examples of baroque ornamentation in Rome. For modern eyes it is almost shockingly overloaded. The ceilings and walls are covered with carvings, and the statues stand in every possible corner, which makes a general impression with clutter in the attic. The most famous of the works found here, Bernini's bas-relief, Ecstasy of St.. Teresa, placed in the center of the tomb chapel of Cardinal Cornaro, it is just as gimmicky. St. Teresa was shown in a dramatic pose against the backdrop of the theater boxes on both sides of the chapel, from where cardinals from the Cornaro family watch the spectacle, nudging their elbows. The figure on the left is perhaps a self-portrait of Bernini; anyway, the sculptor considered this work the most beautiful of all his works and many people shared this opinion.
Via XX Settembre runs behind the church straight towards the Aurelian Walls. It is by no means the most attractive artery in Rome: there are ranks of expressionless government buildings erected after the unification of Italy in hope, that Rome will take over as the capital of the world. The street itself was a route, which Garibaldi's troops had entered 20 September 1870 r. to the city, a place, in which they broke through the wall is commemorated by a column. The Porta Pia at the end of via XX Settembre is one of Michelangelo's last works, was built under Pope Pius IV in 1561 r. On the other side of the busy Corso d'Italia (forming part of the main ring road surrounding the center) luxurious villas form a line along the wide boulevard via Nomentana. The most famous personalities in the city lived there for a long time, for example, the owner of the 19th-century Villa Torlonia, Prince Giovanni Torlonia; banker, he gave her in 1925 r. in use by Mussolini. The house itself cannot be visited, but the property grounds are open to the public.
Further on, on via Nomentana, there is the Church of Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura, dedicated to the same saint, who died a martyr's death in the circus of Domitian in 330 r. n.e. (patrz "Piazza Navona"). To get inside, you have to go through the neighboring building, and then take the long stairs to the building's narthex, which - apart from a few very inappropriate elements added later - is preserved in shape, as awarded to him by Honorius I, rebuilding the original building of Constantine in the 7th century. From the vestibule, the curator will lead you to the catacombs stretching under the church. They belong, to the best preserved and least frequented by tourists; having time to visit only some of them (and they are quite similar), it is worth choosing just these.
After visiting the catacombs, the guide leads to a small early Christian building, Church of Santa Constanza, which perhaps better than any other building illustrates the transition of Roman architecture and ornamentation from paganism to Christianity. The church was built in 350 r. n.e. as a mausoleum for the daughters of Emperor Constantine, Konstancja and Helena, and is based on the same plan as the great pagan tombs (a comparison comes to mind with the tombs of Hadrian and Augustus in Rome), and from the 4th century. mosaics in circular cloisters - grapevine, foliage and birds would be appropriate just as often in a Roman villa, what in the christian church.