Rome - December 28, 2011 - Around the Forum Boarium

Santa Maria en Cosmedin

Across the Piazza della Bocca della Verita is the church of Santa Maria en Cosmedin. We didn't go inside, but admired from afar or at least gawked at the huge group of giggling tourists entering the basilica. I took a photograph thinking that I had seen it in one of my books on architecture.

What I didn't know (or remember) was that this is the location of teh Bocca della Verita (the Mouth of Truth) which supposedly bites off your hand if you are not telling the truth. Well, while you have your hand in its mouth at least. I mean it doesn't come round to your house and spontaneously bite your hand off for lying to your wife about being fat. 

I was right. Completed in the 11th century with a fine tall bell tower. Apparently i was baroqued up in the 18th century and then restored in the 1890's so really the facade is about as old as some of the lovely Romanesque churches that grace my own dear Portland.

See the columns? Awesome. San Nicola en Carcere

Just north of the forum Boarium and just south of the Theatre of Marcellus is the rather odd San Nicola in Carcere. No, it's not built on a prison, but an old temple. Some one misinterpreted something a while back and the name has stuck.

Dedicated to Saint Nicolas, patron saint of Greece, children, prisoners and pawnbrokers it incorporates a great deal of the old temple structures. Funnily enough I had almost missed the columns filled with rubble (to make the outer walls) until I turned around to sneeze.

A fortuitous sneeze indeed. This is where the Madonna of Pompeii is worshiped, we'll be going to Pompeii soon. Foreshadowing? Perhaps not.

San Nicola en Carcere from the south. More temple columns incorporated into the brick structure.