Santa Rita da Cascia alle Vergini, Baroque church in Trevi district, Rome, Italy
Santa Rita da Cascia alle Vergini stands at the corner of Via delle Vergini and Via dell'Umiltà, diagonally across from the Teatro Quirino. Its interior follows a Greek cross plan with Baroque decoration, and the dome fresco by Michelangelo Ricciolini shows the Glory of Paradise. A gilded wooden organ faces the entrance, and to its left a 1912 chapel reproduces the Lourdes grotto.
The building was originally constructed in 1615 as Santa Maria delle Vergini and underwent major reconstruction from 1634 to 1636. Architect Domenico Castelli completed the work in 1660, while the facade was shaped in its current form by Mattia de Rossi in 1681.
The church is the national church of Umbria in Rome, tied to the Confraternity of the Holy Thorn of the Crown of Our Lord Jesus Christ and of Saint Rita of Cascia, which moved here in 1904 from Santa Rita in Campitelli. Its name comes from the nearby Via delle Vergini and from Saint Rita, the Augustinian nun of Cascia.
The interior is accessible from the street and can be visited during opening hours. Visitors should keep in mind that this is an active place of worship, so respectful behavior during any religious services is important.
The dome displays a fresco by Michelangelo Ricciolini depicting the Glory of Paradise. This artistic work is a rarely noticed example of Baroque ceiling painting in Rome and often escapes the attention of visitors.
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