Santa Maria Cosmedin

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Santa Maria in Cosmedin was built in location that had been a food distribution center for the poor and a temple dedicated to Hercules Invictus, which was reconstructed in the 2nd century. The temple had undergone changes during the 4th century, a portico was added to the northwest side to hold the the Roman market inspector’s office. Following that, during the 6th century the place between the portico’s columns was used to form a hall that was a Christian welfare center. The temple was converted to a church by Pope Hadrian I during the 8th century. He ordered the destruction of the pagan temple in order to build the basilica. The church was given to the Greeks fleeing the conflicts in the East in the 9th century.Which is where the name
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Pope Nicholas I ordered the building of a papal residence and a sacristy dedicated to St. Nicholas in the 9th century. The additions done by Pope Nicholas I were destroyed during the sack of Rome in. This church is located right along the Tiber river just south of the Tiber Island. There are many churches in this area such as Santa
Maria Priorato and also the Basilica of Santa Sabina all’Aventino. The Church was within the original Roman Republic’s walls to the south.
Santa Maria in Cosmedin as shown in the image below, has the tallest bell tower in Rome dating from Medieval times. This bell tower wasn’t added until the 12th century following the Sack of Rome. The bell tower was done under Pope Gelasius II and
Callixtus II.

The Mouth of Truth can also be found within the church. The Mouth of Truth is a marble sculpture that resembles the face of a man. The sculpture is said to be apart of a 1st century fountain or a manhole cover portraying a pagan god. This sculpture was brought to the church in 1632. It was said that if a liar put his hand within the mouth of the sculpture, the sculpture would bite it off. The sculpture can be seen in the

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