The church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin and the Mouth of Truth.
The church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin stands in the southern part of Rome’s historic centre, near the Tiber. Although it is a particularly interesting church, it is little known. That does not stop it drawing a considerable crowd… Its porch houses the famous Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità), one of the classic “clichés” of Rome. If you come to see the Mouth of Truth, do not forget to visit the wonderful church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin!
Getting there : Metro Circo Massimo station or bus lines 23, 63, 81, 83, 170, 628 …
Address : Piazza della Bocca della Verità, 18
Opening hours : every day from 9:30 to 18:00.
Ticket prices: free (a charge to put your hand in the Mouth of Truth)
The history of the site is ancient, since Santa Maria in Cosmedin stands on the site of the Forum Boarium, one of the oldest markets of ancient Rome.
Near the church you can also see several well-preserved Roman monuments. Find out more about the Forum Boarium.
On the site of the church stood the “statio annonae”, the body in charge of Rome’s food supply.
In the 6th century a “diaconia” was set up in the ruined buildings. The diaconiae were Christian organisations that helped the poor.
In the 8th century the building was given to the Greek Christian community, which had fled Constantinople from the persecutions of the Byzantine iconoclasts. The building was then turned into a church and took the name Santa Maria in Cosmedin or Santa Maria de schola Graeca (of the Greek school). The origin of the term “Cosmedin” is uncertain; it may refer to the name of a district of Constantinople or come from the word “kosmos” meaning ornament, thus pointing to the richness of the decoration.
The church was enlarged, in Byzantine fashion, by the addition of an apse continuing each of the three aisles.
Santa Maria in Cosmedin was partly destroyed during the Norman sack of Rome in 1084.
It was later restored and the porch, the Romanesque campanile and the very fine Cosmatesque decoration inside were added.
The exterior of Santa Maria in Cosmedin and the Mouth of Truth
The façade consists of a porch and a fine campanile, both Romanesque in style, in red brick.
Under the porch, on the left, you will find the famous Bocca della Verità, the Mouth of Truth. You will probably have to queue and leave a small offering to reach it and put your hand in the mouth. According to popular belief, this large antique marble disc carved with a face (a Triton or Neptune) bites off the hand of liars! In antiquity this disc simply served as a drain cover …
Under the porch you will also find a 12th-century tomb of a papal chamberlain in charge of the restoration of the church.
The interior of Santa Maria in Cosmedin
Once through the entrance, turn right into the small sacristy (souvenir shop), which houses a very fine mosaic of the Adoration of the Magi dating from the 8th century and coming from the old St Peter’s Basilica.
The interior of the church has a mystical atmosphere thanks to its modest size, its architecture and the dim light that prevails there.
The interior space is divided into 3 aisles, separated by antique columns and pilasters.
A flat wooden ceiling covers the church, typical of Byzantine basilicas. Santa Maria in Cosmedin is an excellent example of the architecture of an antique basilica with Byzantine influence.
The floor is magnificent, Cosmatesque in style, made of inlays of marble in different colours.
A marble balustrade, whose panels are also Cosmatesque in style, still marks off the area reserved for the clergy.
There you will find pulpits and the Paschal candlestick, also Cosmatesque in style and dating from the 12th century.
The altar is surmounted by a columnar baldachin in Gothic style, from the 13th century. The frescoes in the choir are not of the period.
You can also admire a throne with lion heads and Cosmatesque mosaics in the apse.