On the hill of the Campidoglio in central Rome, at the top of a steep staircase of no less than 124 steps, stands the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli. The present church was built in the 12th century, but a church had been present on the site since the 9th century, built on the ruins of a temple dedicated to Juno Moneta.
Legend has it that on these very slopes the female prophetess known as the Tiburtine Sybil predicted the coming of Christ to the Emperor Augustus: "HAEC EST ARA FILII DEI," – “here is the altar of the son of God” … hence its modern name Ara Coeli (heavenly altar).
/fig.-9.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-1.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-8.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-7.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-4.1.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-6.1.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/Copertina.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-5.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-2.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-3.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg)
/fig.-9.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/fig.-1.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/fig.-8.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/fig.-7.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/fig.-4.1.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/fig.-6.1.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/Copertina.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/fig.-5.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/fig.-2.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )
/fig.-3.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.web.1280.1280.jpeg )