Wender·Vista
Santa Maria in Trastevere
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tileItaly
in Trastevere, on the west bank of the Tiber

Santa Maria in Trastevere

— — the gold the evening sun pulls down.

— 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

“A small piazza on the west side of the Tiber, where one of Rome's oldest churches keeps its evening light. The façade carries a mosaic of the Madonna and ten attendants. Inside, Pietro Cavallini's gold mosaics line the apse. The square stays busy after dark — a fountain, a few cafés, the bells from across the river — and the church holds its quiet through it all.

from the studio
Santa Maria in Trastevere
— bring it home

Santa Maria in Trastevere, 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 Santa Maria in Trastevere

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

The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere stands at the centre of the Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, on the west bank of the Tiber in Rome's Rione XIII. The current church was built between 1138 and 1148 under Pope Innocent II on the site of a much earlier foundation traditionally ascribed to Pope Callixtus I in the 220s, making it one of the first Christian places of worship in the city. It remains an active parish.

— informed by Wikipedia, Parish site
— the stone

The basilica reuses 22 ancient Roman granite columns, taken from the Baths of Caracalla, to carry its nave. The Romanesque bell tower rises about 32 metres above the piazza, with a small 13th-century mosaic of the Madonna set into its face. The apse mosaics, executed by Pietro Cavallini between 1290 and 1291, depict the life of the Virgin in gold tesserae and rank among the most important medieval mosaics in Rome.

— informed by Wikipedia
— the visit

The basilica is open daily, generally from early morning to about 9 PM, with a midday closure. Entry is free; donations support upkeep. It is a short walk from Ponte Sisto and Viale di Trastevere — no metro stop in the immediate quarter, though the H bus and Tram 8 pass nearby. Modest dress is required, as it remains a working church. The apse mosaics are best read in late-afternoon light, when the gold warms.

— informed by Turismo Roma
— where
Italy · Rome, Lazio
— elevation
13 m · 43 ft
— position
41.8896° N · 12.4697° 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 NE
Pantheon
Roman temple
1 km N
Piazza Navona
Baroque square
2 km NW
Vatican City
papal enclave
1 km W
Janiculum Hill
overlook
N
Santa Maria in Trastevere
Pantheon
Piazza Navona
Vatican City
Janiculum Hill
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Santa Maria in Trastevere — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

The current basilica dates to 1138–1148, but it stands on a site of Christian worship traditionally founded by Pope Callixtus I around 220 CE, making it one of the oldest church sites in Rome.

The apse and lower-wall mosaics were executed by the Roman artist Pietro Cavallini in 1290–1291. They depict scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary in gold tesserae.

It stands at the centre of Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, on the west bank of the Tiber, in the Trastevere quarter of Rome — Rione XIII.

No. Entry to the basilica is free, though donations support the church's ongoing maintenance. As a working parish, modest dress is required and silence is asked during Mass.

The nave is carried by 22 ancient Roman granite columns reused from the Baths of Caracalla, with capitals showing Ionic and Corinthian elements drawn from imperial-era buildings.

Late afternoon, when the apse mosaics catch warm light. The basilica is open daily, generally from early morning to about 9 PM, with a midday closure for lunch.

— about the piece in your home

It has resonated with customers whose family or favourite walks are on the Trastevere side of the Tiber. A Small or Medium with a handwritten note from the studio carries well.

The basilica's gold and lapis tones sit well with classical-revival rooms, Maximalist interiors with antique mirrors and patterned upholstery, and warm jewel-tone palettes.

Yes. The gold ground and mosaic blues read as a natural anchor for the deep emerald, garnet, and ochre palettes central to current Maximalist and Roman-classical interiors.

A single Large reads cleanly above most consoles. Above a sofa, a 4-tile Mural carries the proportions; a long wall takes a 9-tile Mural with room to breathe.

Yes. Choose the Dura Satin or Matte finish for backsplashes, showers, or other vertical installations. The colour lives in the ceramic surface and is unaffected by steam.

A microfibre cloth with water is enough. Avoid abrasive pads and bleach-based cleaners. The finish protects the surface for ordinary household use.

— 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