Saint Mary Major's Church

The Church of St. Mary Major, better known as St. Francis Church, is, together with the Cathedral of Tivoli, the more important and probably the most beautiful place of worship of the city. Erected in Piazza Trento by Pope Simplicio, is annexed to the ancient monastery, home of the Benedictine monks of Farfa, and is adjacent to the entrance of Villa d'Este.

The church has a wonderful facade characterized by a marble Gothic portal, work of Angelo da Tivoli, surmounted by an elegant rose window with rays. There is also an amazing bell tower that rises on the left side of the church, built with red bricks and very similar to that of the Cathedral of St. Lawrence.
In the church there are many important art works such as the "Grave of Ippolito II d'Este", the historic Governor of Tivoli buried in the presbytery, a crucifix of the fifteenth century, the Polyptichof the Virgin, the cosmatesque floor made around the thirteenth century, the painting on wood representing the Virgin praying and St. Anthony of Padua, and the fresco with the "Madonna with Child" enclosed in the Renaissance tabernacle.
Every 14 August takes place in the square outside the church the so-called Festa dell'Inchinata, a religious rite in which the image of the Holy Saviour and the statue of the Madonna delle Grazie bow down symbolically each other.

How to reach it