Santa Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci fuori Porta Cavalleggeri, Baroque parish church near Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Santa Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci is a Baroque church in Rome built with a Greek cross plan where the two transept arms have equal length and open toward a semicircular apse. The short nave keeps the interior feeling open and well-lit despite its modest size.
The church was founded in the 15th century as a parish church for the nearby Borgo delle Fornaci village. It was established during the period when local brick kilns operated at full capacity to supply materials for Saint Peter's Basilica construction.
The interior displays 18th-century artworks, including stucco statues by Giovanni Battista Maini and side paintings by Francesco Scaramucci that visitors notice immediately upon entering. These pieces shape the overall artistic character of the Baroque space.
The church sits at Piazza Santa Maria alle Fornaci in a location that is easy to reach for visitors exploring the Vatican area. Multiple access routes are available depending on which part of Rome you are coming from.
The church's name comes from the brick kilns that operated nearby and shaped the local landscape during the Renaissance. This connection to a practical trade is unusual for a church name and serves as a reminder of daily life in that era.
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