Wender·Vista
Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileItaly
in southeast Rome, near the Lateran

Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem

— a piece of the Holy Land, kept under a Roman roof.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“One of the seven pilgrim churches of Rome, raised in the fourth century inside a hall of the imperial palace of Helena, mother of Constantine. Tradition holds that she brought soil from Calvary back to this spot, and the church was built on it. The relics of the Passion she carried home are still kept in a chapel at the end of the nave.

from the studio
Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
— bring it home

Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

Santa Croce in Gerusalemme stands in the southeast quarter of Rome, near the Lateran and the Aurelian Walls, about 2 km from the Colosseum. The original basilica was consecrated around the year 325 by Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, within an existing hall of her Roman residence, the Sessorian Palace. The current late Baroque facade was designed by Domenico Gregorini and Pietro Passalacqua and completed in 1744. The church is one of the seven traditional pilgrim basilicas of Rome and is served by a Cistercian community.

— informed by Wikipedia, Santa Croce Roma
— the stone

The plan still preserves the early Christian basilica that Helena raised inside the existing hall of the Sessorian Palace. The bell tower, in Romanesque brick, was added in the twelfth century. The Baroque facade fronting Piazza di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme was raised between 1741 and 1744 under Pope Benedict XIV, one of the last great Baroque church fronts of Rome. The relic chapel at the end of the nave was created in 1930 by Florestano Di Fausto, in a quiet Art Deco register.

— informed by Wikipedia
— the visit

The basilica is open most days, with morning and afternoon hours and a midday closure typical of Roman churches. Modest dress is expected. The Chapel of the Relics, reached by a stairway at the end of the left aisle, displays fragments traditionally identified as the True Cross, a Roman nail, two thorns from the crown, and the title board (Titulus) said to have hung above the cross. Entry is free; an offering is appropriate. Tram line 3 stops a short walk from the piazza.

— informed by Santa Croce Roma
— where
Italy · Rome, Lazio
— position
41.8875° N · 12.5158° E
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
1 km W
Archbasilica of St. John Lateran
papal basilica
1 km W
Scala Sancta
pilgrim shrine
1 km N
Porta Maggiore
ancient gate
at the lake
Aurelian Walls
Roman wall
2 km W
Colosseum
Roman amphitheatre
N
Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
Archbasilica of St. John Lateran
Scala Sancta
Porta Maggiore
Aurelian Walls
Colosseum
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

A fourth-century basilica in Rome built by the Empress Helena to enshrine relics of the Passion she brought from Jerusalem. It is one of the seven traditional pilgrim churches of the city.

Tradition holds that Helena brought soil from Calvary back to Rome and laid it beneath the basilica. The church is named for what it holds, not for its geographical location.

The Chapel of the Relics holds fragments traditionally identified as the True Cross, a Roman nail, two thorns from the crown, and the Titulus, the title board said to have hung above the cross.

The late Baroque facade was designed by Domenico Gregorini and Pietro Passalacqua and completed in 1744 under Pope Benedict XIV. It is among the last great Baroque church fronts of Rome.

In the southeast of the historic centre, near the Lateran and the Aurelian Walls, about 2 km from the Colosseum. Tram line 3 stops a short walk from the piazza.

Yes. It functions as a parish and pilgrimage church, with regular liturgies, and is served by a Cistercian community. Visitors are welcomed outside service times.

— about the piece in your home

It often is. Santa Croce holds a quiet but central place among Roman basilicas, and the relics it preserves matter deeply to many Catholics. A Medium on Glossy reads well in a study or library.

The piece suits classical-modern, Roman-traditional, and warm jewel-tone rooms. The ochres and old-gold tones bridge interiors built around oil-rubbed bronze, walnut, aged leather, and lamplight.

Yes. The piece reads as a quiet devotional image rather than a literal icon, which suits home oratories, side chapels, and reading rooms set aside for prayer or study.

A Medium suits a small altar or console. A Large carries a sofa or a chapel wall; a four-tile Mural reads as a small fresco above a credenza or sideboard.

Yes, in Dura Satin or Matte. Both finishes are scratch-resistant and unbothered by humidity, which makes them well-suited to backsplashes, shower walls, and vanity surrounds.

A soft microfibre cloth and clean water are all the surface needs. The color is infused into the ceramic and will not fade, peel, or wash off.

Yes. Every WenderVista piece is made in our Knoxville studio. The visual language belongs to Reid Wender's eye and is not licensed from any outside artist or stock library.

— if this one stayed with you

A few you might also love.

Hand-picked by the eye that found Sorapis. Same air, same kind of quiet.
— a collection

The Italian Dolomites,
painted slow.

The valleys between Cortina and Val Gardena, the tarns you walk an hour to see, the towers that turn the colour of a banked fire just before dark. Wander the collection by valley, by season, or follow the path Reid walked.

Tre Cime
Braies
Misurina
Sorapis
Cinque Torri
Sassolungo
Marmolada