Basilica di Santa Francesca Romana

The church's origins date back to the 9th century, when it was built at the behest of Pope Paul I. It was erected over an existing oratory dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul, which was integrated into the portico of the Temple of Venus and Roma. After restoration in the 10th century, the edifice was consecrated to Mary and received the name Sancta Maria Nova, as it replaced the older Marian church of Santa Maria Antiqua in the Roman Forum. In the 13th century, Pope Honorius III initiated a renovation, from which the current bell tower and the apse frescoes originate. With the transfer of the relics of Saint Francesca in the 15th century, the patronage changed to its current name. Between 1600 and 1615, Carlo Lombardi redesigned the interior and added the facade.