Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace & Chiostro del Bramante

sights / Religious

Lonely Planet review

Tucked away in the backstreets near Piazza Navona, this small 15th- century church boasts an elaborate porticoed exterior and a celebrated Raphael fresco, Sibille (Sibyls; c 1515). Next door, the Chiostro del Bramante (Bramante Cloister) is a masterpiece of High Renaissance architectural styling that is now used to stage temporary art exhibitions and cultural events.

The cloister, which you can visit freely by popping up to the first floor shop or cafe, was originally part of the same monastery complex as the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace. Its sober, geometric lines and perfectly proportioned spaces provide a marked counterpoint to the church’s undulating facade, beautifully encapsulating the Renaissance aesthetic that Bramante did so much to promote.