Rome - church of Santa Barbara dei Librari by Mark Sukhija

The Church of Santa Barbara dei Librari definitely dates back to 1306 - the year of it's consecration. The date of it's construction, however, is unknown as documentation only provides minimal and uncertain information but it is thought that the church existed in the 11th Century.

Located in Largo dei Librari, Santa Barbara dei Librari was bestowed upon the Guild of Booksellers which had been formed in 1600.

Santa Barbara dei Librari has been a parish church over the years and has had several cardinals as titulars. For much of the 20th Century, the church was closed, deconsecrated and used as a store hourse. In the 80s the church was restored and now looks absolutely magnificent. Both on the inside and outside.

Exterior

The façade was designed and built by Roman architect and painter Giueseppe Passeri, a pupil of Carlo Maratta, in 1680.

In the first order, we find the door, framed by two columns with composite capitals and and arched tympanum enclosing the head of a cherub. The architrave bears the Latin inscription "S Barbarae V.M. Sacr."

The second order a niche encloses a travertine statue of The Saint by Ambrogio Parisi. Candelabra flank the terminal tympanum. Sea-shell motif form almost lateral wings on two windows.

Also on the second order, below the right hand window a Latin inscription tells us that the piazza in front of the Church was bought by the Guild of Book Sellers on the 22nd February 1638 for "scudi 400."

Source: Pamphlet available at the Church.

Further reading

Key facts