Located at the base of the Palatine Hill in the Roman Forum, the 6th century church of Santa Maria Antique is one of the earliest surviving Christian monuments in Rome.
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The church was built during the reign of Emperor Justin II (565-578), converted from an Ancient 1st century Roman structure built by Emperor Domitian that served as a zig zagged imperial ramp connecting the hilltop palaces on Palatine Hill with the Roman Forum.
Sadly, in the 9th century, Santa Maria Antique Church was abandoned and buried by rubble following an earthquake that sealed the building for more than 1,000 years until it was rediscovered in 1900. The fact that this church was sealed for a thousand years, it escaped the changes when churches in Rome were updated during Byzantine and Baroque.
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The interior walls were decorated with mosaics, marble, and frescoes, unfortunately I didn’t have a Forum Pass SUPER ticket. However, the Roman Forum and Santa Maria Antique Church are free entry on the first Sunday of each Month.