Founded in the 4th century, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Basilica of Saint Mary Major) is one of the five great ancient basilicas of Rome. Its 18th-century exterior conceals one of the best-preserved Byzantine interiors in the city.
East facade of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore with circular stairs leading up to protruding semi-circular apse is on the Piazza dell' Esquilino
History of Santa Maria Maggiore
Santa Maria Maggiore stands on the site of a temple to the goddess Cybele. According to a 13th-century legend, the first church was built here by Pope Liberius (352-66), on the site of an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The legend has it that the Virgin appeared to Pope Liberius and the patrician Giovanni Patrizio on August 4, 352 (or 358), instructing them to build a church on the Esquiline Hill. That night, the floor plan was outlined by a miraculous snowfall.
Archaeological evidence, on the other hand, indicates that the church was probably first built in the early 400s and completed under Pope Sixtus III (432-440). This was a time when churches dedicated to Mary were beginning to spring up all over the empire, prompted by an increasingly popular devotion to the Virgin and the official acceptance of her title "Theotokos" (Mother of God) at the Council of Ephesus in 431.
The Piazza and Church of Santa Maria Maggiore
The aspect of S. Maria Maggiore, one of the four major basilicas of Rome, was modified by Pope Benedict XIV in 1743 through the construction of a new façade and of a clergy house to its left which matched that already existing to its right. When Vasi published this view in 1753 he therefore showed a very recent addition to the monuments of Rome. He depicted S. Maria Maggiore also in plate 122 (rear of the basilica)and plate 157 (southern side) (and in a grand view he made in 1771).
The view is taken from the green dot in the small 1748 map below. In the description below the plate Vasi made reference to: 1) Collegio dei Penitenzieri (experienced priests) della Basilica; 2) Bell tower of S. Prassede; 3) Monastero delle Monache Filippine; 4) Nuova Canonica (clergy house) della Basilica; 2) and 3) are covered in other pages. The small map shows also 5) Column of Pope Clement VIII.
Santa Maria Maggiore was fully restored and renovated in the 18th century - the facade and most of the interior decorations date from this period. Today, the basilica is served by Redemptorist and Dominican fathers and remains very popular with pilgrims and tourists alike.
The Facade
Myths and Reliquary
Mark Twain visited Italy in 1867 and in "The Innocents Abroad" he wrote:"There are so many churches named for Mary that they have to be distinguished by all sorts of affixes."
In the case of S. Maria Maggiore the affix is a reference to its size. It was the first church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and for a time it was referred to simply as "S. Maria".
S. Maria Maggiore was built at the top of Cispius, the highest peak of the Esquiline, which in turn is the highest hill of Rome; in addition the bell tower of the basilica is the tallest of Rome so it is clearly visible from most parts of the city; it was built in 1375-76, most likely to celebrate the expected return of the Pope from Avignon. Its design is similar to previous Romanesque bell towers, but its current appearance is heavier than that of others because some windows were sealed up. Pope Julius II added the golden globe and the cross to its apex. 
(left) The bell tower; (right) detail of its decoration
Flaminio Ponzio designed for Pope Paul V the two clergy houses we see on the sides of the façade, but he actually built only that to its right. The other building was completed in 1721-43. They both were decorated with a gigantic coat of arms of the pope between two angels; when seen side by side they show the changes in portraying angels during the baroque period; the angels by Cordier and Buonvicino have a masculine body which is clearly visible beneath a light dress and their wings are very large, whereas those designed for the other coat of arms have covered bodies and their wings are less imposing. For more about Baroque Angels click here. The actual coats of arms of the popes were erased during the French occupation of Rome.
(left) Coat of arms of Pope Paul V with angels by Nicolas Cordier and Ambrogio Buonvicino; (right) coat of arms of Pope Benedict XIV with angels by an unknown artist
Gian Lorenzo Bernini lived very near S. Maria Maggiore, he wanted to be buried there, his father Pietro was involved in the decoration of Cappella Paolina and his son Pietro Filippo was one of the priests of the basilica. Notwithstanding all these ties he was not involved in the redesign of S. Maria Maggiore because his project for the external appearance of the apse was rejected. Visitors are told that a staircase inside the bell tower was designed by him, however most art historians do not include it among Bernini's works.
Bernini's staircase
The Miracle of the Snow
S. Maria Maggiore is also known as Basilica Liberiana and S. Maria ad Nives (snow): both names make reference to the traditional account of its foundation. On the night before August 5, 358, Pope Liberius saw in his dream the Virgin Mary who told him to build a church on the site where later that night snow would fall. A precious (bronze, marble and lapis lazuli) relief in Cappella Paolina portrays the pope drawing the plan for S. Maria Maggiore on the snow which had fallen on the top of the Esquiline Hill.
Main altar of Cappella Paolina: relief depicting the Miracle of the Snow by Stefano Maderno
Although miracles do not call for scientific explanations, hail-storms, although unusual, can occur in Rome in August: hailstones may whiten the ground for a short time giving the impression of a snowfall. The event is re-enacted every year.
Re-enactment of the miracle in August 2008
The Column
Pope Paul V ordered the relocation of a 46 ft high column of Basilica di Massenzio to the square in front of S. Maria Maggiore. At the time Basilica di Massenzio was known as Tempio della Pace and in the long inscription the Pope explained that the column was dedicated to the Virgin Mary because".. ex cuius visceribus princeps verae pacis genitus est donum dedit" (the Prince who gives true peace came from her womb). For this reason the column is also known as Colonna della Pace.
(left) Base of the column and fountain by Carlo Maderno; (centre) shaft and capital; (right) bronze statue by Guillaume Berthélot
The Statues
In 1609 the Canons of S. Maria Maggiore commissioned Paolo Sanquirico a large statue of the Pope to thank him for the erection of the Column and the construction of their clergy house. Given the size it was most likely meant to be placed outdoors, but it eventually ended up in the Sacristy and from there it was moved to the new clergy house.
During the XVIIth century the political rivalry between Spain and France had an impact on the Roman basilicas. S. Giovanni in Laterano was under the patronage of the Kings of France and its Canons commissioned Nicolas Cordier a statue of King Henri IV of France. In 1659 the Canons of S. Maria Maggiore decided to commission Girolamo Lucenti a statue of King Philip IV of Spain. The statue was most likely designed with the supervision of Bernini, but it was actually completed and moved to S. Maria Maggiore only in 1691. Eventually it was placed in a niche of the 1743 portico of the new façade.
A column resembling a cannon and having a cross on its top was erected by Pope Clement VIII to celebrate the 1598 Peace of Vervins which put an end to a war between France and Spain. It was originally placed in front of S. Antonio Abate, a church very near the basilica. In 1881, when the streets around S. Maria Maggiore were enlarged, it was relocated to a small courtyard on the northern side of the basilica. 
(left) Statue of Pope Paul V by Paolo Sanquirico, best known as a craftsman who made medals, and a dragon, one of the Pope's heraldic symbols; (centre) Statue of King Philip IV of Spain by Girolamo Lucenti, a pupil of Bernini; (right) Column of Pope Clement VIII
The Loggia and its Mosaics
The foundation of S. Maria Maggiore is attributed to Pope Liberius, but the current basilica was built by Pope Sixtus III (432-440) after the 431 Council of Ephesus had stated that the Virgin Mary should be referred to as Theotokos, i.e. Mother of God (and this explains the dedication of the basilica).
The interior of the building was decorated with mosaics, but there is no clear evidence that the façade had a similar decoration. The mosaics were added at the end of the XIIIth century at the initiative of Pope Nicholas IV. The portico shown in the two illustrations was built in 1575 by Pope Gregory XIII. You may wish to see the basilica in a 1588 Guide to Rome (prior to the construction of the clergy houses).
(left) Coloured plate of a book portraying Pope Clement X while he is being shown plans for a new façade; (right) detail of a 1621 engraving showing the old façade. It was made to illustrate a project endorsed by Pope Paul V which provided for the construction of a second bell tower
The mosaics were made up of two bands which show differences in style and execution technique. The upper band was signed by Filippo Rusuti, but he could have been the author of both bands, perhaps after an interval of time. The upper band reflects traditional patterns in the subject and in the style: Rusuti was most likely asked by the Pope not to depart from them. It is partially interrupted by the architectural elements of the loggia designed in 1743 by Ferdinando Fuga who did his best to preserve the central scene.
Upper band of the mosaics: (left) the Virgin Mary; (right) Jesus Christ in Majesty (under his feet: Philipp. Rusuti Hoc Opus Fecit)
The lower band has the appearance of a fresco, rather than that of a traditional mosaic. It is partitioned into four panels which do not have golden backgrounds, but show medieval buildings and the richly decorated interior of a church. The subjects are not portrayed in a static pose and they wear very expensive garments. The band recalls mosaics by Pietro Cavallini at S. Maria in Trastevere which are dated 1298 (there was a rivalry between the inhabitants of Trastevere and those of Monti).
Lower band of the mosaics: (left) the Virgin Mary appears in a dream to John, a rich Roman patrician who financed the construction of the basilica (the image used as background for this page shows the Virgin Mary appearing in a dream to Pope Liberius); (right) John tells Pope Liberius about his dream
The loggia is the most convincing work by Fuga, the leading architect of his time, but it was criticized by Pope Benedict XIV who found its design was somewhat frivolous for an ancient basilica; it is interesting to compare it with that of S. Giovanni in Laterano which was designed by Alessandro Galilei in 1735. You may wish to consult a directory on Baroque Architecture in Rome listing all the works by Fuga.
The loggia designed by Fuga
(left) Interior of the loggia; (centre) view towards the side loggia of S. Giovanni in Laterano (the street was opened in 1575); (right) a stucco angel by Pietro Bracci. It is one of four statues which in 1750 were placed at the top of the canopy in the interior of the basilica and were removed in 1932 to allow a better view of the apse
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