Rome Off The Beaten Path: See Some of the City’s Best-Kept Artistic Secrets

Rome is abundant with museums that hold some of the world’s most famous art pieces in the world. Head to the Galleria Borghese to see Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne, or the incredible bronze Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius at Capitoline Museums. And of course, everyone knows to see the absolute masterpiece that is the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. But what about Rome off the beaten path — the sites visitors don’t know about? All throughout Rome there are hidden art pieces by timeless artists you can see for free. I was pleasantly surprised to find churches with original pieces by Raphael, Caravaggio, and, yes, Michelangelo.

So here is a list of some of the most spectacular hidden art sites in Rome and how to see them for yourself:

Michelangelo’s Moses

Rome off the beaten path starts here with a supreme piece of art in a place you wouldn’t expect. Located in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli lies one of my favorite pieces of art in all of Rome. Michelangelo’s Moses statue. The statue was commissioned in 1505 by Pope Julius II as part of a grand project to decorate his tomb. If you look closely, you can see horns growing out of Moses’ head. This was due to a mistranslation when the Hebrew word for “radiant” was accidently written as “horned” in Latin during the translation of the bible. It wasn’t until the 16th century that scholars realized the error.

If you continue to the center of the church and look under the altar, you’ll see the chains that bound St. Peter when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem. Legend has it that when the chains were brought to the city, they miraculously fused with another set of chains that had been used to imprison the saint in Rome. These fused chains are what you can see on display today. There are also several other notable paintings and sculptures to look at throughout the church and if you come at the right time, you might hear the gorgeous notes of the church’s pipe organ.

Address: Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli, 4/a, 00184

Tips on how to get there: When looking at the church from the outside, you’d never guess it was first built in the 5th century and that it is home to a piece by the greatest sculptor that ever lived. But that’s why it isn’t very well known amongst tourists and visitors. You can get to the church from Via delle Sette Sale (the street to the North of the church) through a discreet staircase or through the entrance of the Sapienza Università di Roma.

And remember, access to San Pietro in Vincoli is free!

Basilica of St. Augustine

Next up following Rome off the beaten path, is the Basilica of St. Augustine. This was one of the first Roman churches of the Renaissance and was built in 1420. While the outside of the church is relatively unadorned, the interior is something to marvel at. Inside you’ll find many notable art pieces including an original commission by my favorite Baroque painter, Caravaggio. The Madonna of Loreto was painted in 1604-1606 and depicts the Virgin Mary standing before two kneeling pilgrims. Caravaggio was a master of chiaroscuro (the use of light and shade in a painting), and this incredible piece is incredibly captivating. It stands out from others with its dark contrast and you can immediately tell it was carefully created by a master.

Other remarkable pieces of art you can find here are Raphael’s frescoes depicting the Prophet Isaiah and the main altar which was designed by Bernini and created by Orazio Torriani. If you have any love of or interest in art history, this is church is free for you to see! I cannot recommend it enough.

Address: Piazza di S. Agostino, 00186 Roma

Tips on how to get there: The Basilica of St. Augustine is located fairly close to Piazza Navona and isn’t super hard to find. From Piazza Nova head past the statue of Neptune towards Piazza di Tor Sanguigna. Turn right and walk towards the McDonald’s on the corner. Just past the McDonalds on the left hand side you’ll see the basilica!

Elephant and Obelisk Statue

Here is a statue thousands of people walk by every day without realizing its cultural significance. The Elephant and Obelisk statue is actually two separate pieces. The famed Baroque sculptor, Bernini, designed the elephant in 1667 and it was unveiled at the exact site it lies today. The red granite obelisk on top is more than a thousand years older than the elephant statue. It was discovered in 1665 during excavations of the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It is believed the obelisk was brought to Rome by Emperor Diocletian between 284 – 305 AD from Egypt, and when it was rediscovered in the 17th century, the Pope commissioned its erection.

Address: Piazza della Minerva, 69, 00186

How to get there: Okay, ready for this? — the statue is really easy to see because it is right next to the Roman Pantheon! When facing the Pantheon’s main entrance, head to the left of the historic place of worship and you’ll see it in front of…

Santa Maria sopra Minerva Church

Here’s something cool — you don’t have to go far to see the next site off the beaten path in Rome, because right behind the Elephant and Obelisk statue is the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Here, at the only Gothic church in Rome, you’ll see another statue by the great Michelangelo, Cristo della Minerva, and right across from it you can find another Bernini piece, Memorial to Maria Raggi.

However, my personal favorite work of art in the church has to be the series of frescoes in the Carafa Chapel. The chapel is located on the right side of the Basilica and the frescoes were painted by, in my opinion, the most underrated artist of the Renaissance, Francisco Lippi. Rome isn’t well known for its Renaissance frescoes (unlike Florence), so this chapel is a rare sight in the city.

Address: Piazza della Minerva, 42, 00186

Tips on how to get there: Just as the Elephant and Obelisk statue, you can easily find the church next to the Pantheon. Just look for the big white elephant!

Church of St. Louis of the French

In the Church of St. Louis of the French, you’ll find not one, not two, but three Caravaggio paintings. Remember when I mentioned earlier that Caravaggio is my favorite Baroque painter? Yeah, I was FLOORED when I walked in and saw them. The three paintings tell the story of Saint Matthew. The Calling of Saint Matthew, on the left wall, depicts the moment Christ comes and beckons Matthew to follow him. You can see Matthew point to himself like, “Me??”.

On the center wall is The Inspiration of Saint Matthew which shows an angel appearing to Saint Matthew to tell him of the work that is to come. And the painting on the right, The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew, depicts the saint’s unfortunate death at the hands of a soldier sent by the king of Ethiopia.

This was one of the best surprises I found in Rome, and it’s incredible you can just attend Mass right next to works from such an influential painter!

Address: Piazza di S. Luigi de’ Francesi, 00186 

Tips on how to get there: The Church of St. Louis of the French is also located fairly close to Piazza Nova, just a bit off the beaten path in Rome. From Piazza Nova’s obelisk, head east towards Piazza Madama. From there, walk up towards a street called Via del Salvatore and turn right. Once you get to Via della Dogana Vecchia turn left and you’ll see the church!

Roman Obelisks

Okay, to be fair, the Obelisks of Rome aren’t necessarily off the beaten path in Rome, but they are definitely worth mentioning! Rome has 13 obelisks sprinkled throughout the city (including the previously mentioned Elephant and Obelisk Statue!). But for most of these obelisks, their origin isn’t in Rome, it’s in Egypt. Emperor Augustus first started bringing obelisks to Rome in 10 BC after he defeated Antony and Cleopatra of Egypt. Obelisks then continued to be erected in Rome for the next three hundred years.

Soon after the first obelisk, society became obsessed with Egyptian artifacts and objects. Rome eventually began carving their own obelisks to mimic the great ones from Egypt. In total, 17 obelisks were erected in Rome, with 13 still standing today for locals and visitors alike to see.

Address: All over the city!

Tips on how to get there: If you wander around Rome, there’s no doubt you’ll see at least one obelisk. If there is a specific obelisk you want to see, check out this guide on all the Roman Obelisks!

The best part about all these sites is that you can see them all for free! What better way to see the Eternal City than by visiting some of the world’s most incredible works of art as they were meant to be seen? So get out there and see these wonders for yourself! If you are looking for more ways to save money on travel, check out my blogs about Creative Ways to Save Money on Travel and Tips for Traveling on a Budget!

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