San Bartolomeo all'Isola, Minor basilica on Tiber Island, Rome, Italy
San Bartolomeo all'Isola is a Baroque church on Tiber Island featuring a two-level facade with a columned portico and three interior naves. The structure incorporates ancient Roman columns from earlier buildings, which support the interior spaces and create a distinctive architectural character.
The church was built in 998 on the orders of Emperor Otto III at the site of a former temple dedicated to Aesculapius. This construction represents a transition from pagan to Christian use of the island.
The basilica is named after Saint Bartholomew the Apostle and draws visitors who venerate the relics kept beneath the high altar. The presence of these sacred remains makes it a place of religious devotion for pilgrims passing through the island.
The basilica is located at Piazza di San Bartolomeo all'Isola 22, situated between Trastevere and the Jewish Quarter, making it easy to reach while walking through the center. The island location makes it a natural stopping point along routes through the historic neighborhoods.
A brotherhood established in 1760 systematically collected bodies from the Tiber River and stored bones in the underground crypt. This practice makes the crypt an unusual testament to 18th century compassion and care for the forgotten dead.
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