San Giuseppe a Capo le Case, Roman Catholic church in Rione Colonna, Rome, Italy.
San Giuseppe a Capo le Case is a church in Rione Colonna, Rome, set on a double staircase with a plain brick facade framed in travertine stone. Inside, seven chapels line the space, each connected to the adjoining monastery so that the nuns living there could attend services.
The church was founded in the 16th century to serve the Carmelite nuns of the adjacent monastery, and underwent a major rebuilding in 1607 under the patronage of Cardinal Marcello Lante. That renovation gave the building much of the form it still has today.
San Giuseppe a Capo le Case was built for a community of Carmelite nuns who lived under strict enclosure rules. The seven chapels inside were arranged so the nuns could follow services from within the monastery walls, without ever stepping into the main church space.
The church is within walking distance of Piazza di Spagna, making it easy to reach on foot from the surrounding area. Entry is possible during opening hours, and modest dress is expected out of respect for the place.
Inside the church there is a replica of the Holy Stairs of the Lateran, built in 1717 and decorated with stucco work. This copy was made so that the cloistered nuns could climb a symbolic pilgrimage staircase without ever leaving the building.
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