c. From the Porta Pia.
Electric Tramway from the Piazza San Silvestro (p. 229) to Sant'
Agnese, viâ the Via Venti Settembre and the Porta Pia, see No. 5 in the
Appendix. — We may reach the Porta Pia also by the electric tramway
No. 10 and the omnibus-line No. 17 in the Appendix. — From the Porta
Pia to Sant' Agnese about 1¼ M.; thence to the Ponte Nomentano and
Mons Sacer, to which point most travellers will extend their walk, also
1¼ M.
The Porta Pia (Pl. I, 29), see p. 189. A new suburb is spring-
ing up outside the gate, like that adjoining the Via Salaria (see
p. 435). Following the main road, the ancient Via Nomentana,
which crosses the broad Viale della Regina leading to the Monti
Parioli (see p. 435), we pass the Villa Torlonia (on the right; no
admittance) and, on the same side, 1 M. from the gate, the Villa
Mirafiori (No. 66), the seat of the American Academy in Rome
(p. 160). On the left, about ¼ M. farther, is —
Sant' Agnese fuori le Mura, a church founded by Con-
stantine over the tomb of St. Agnes (p. 253), and still retaining
many characteristics of an early-Christian basilica (p. lxii). It was
re-erected by Honorius I. (625-38), restored by Giuliano della Ro-
vere in 1479, and again restored by Pins IX. in 1856. The principal
festival, on 21st January, is the 'blessing of the lambs' from
whose wool the archiepiscopal pallia are woven.
We enter by a gateway, where, to the right, is the entrance to the
residence of the canons, with remnants of old frescoes in the corridor
of the 1st floor, dating from 1454, and including an Annunciation. In
the Court, through a large window to the right, we observe an unhappy
fresco painted in commemoration of an accident which happened to
Pius IX. on 15th April, 1855. The floor of a room adjoining the church,
to which his Holiness had retired after mass, gave way, and he was
precipitated into the cellar below, but was extricated unhurt. On the
arther side of the court, on the right, is the entrance to the church, to
which a staircase with 45 marble steps descends. On the walls of the
staircase are numerous early-Christian inscriptions from the catacombs.
The Interior (best light in the afternoon) is divided into nave and
aisles by 16 antique columns of breccia, porta santa, and pavonazzetto,
which support arches. Above the aisles and along the wall of the entrance
are galleries with smaller columns. The Tabernacle of 1614, borne by
four fine columns of porphyry, covers a statue of St. Agnes, in alabaster,
a restored antique. In the tribune are Mosaics, representing St. Agnes
between Popes Honorius I. and Symmachus, dating from 625-628, an im-
portant illustration of the transition to the Byzantine style, and an an-
cient pal chair. 2nd Chapel on the right: Head of Christ in marble,
a mediocre work of the 16th cent.; also a beautiful inlaid altar; above
it an excellent relief of SS. Stephen and Lawrence, by Andrea Bregno
( 1490), taken from an altar presented by G. de Pereriis. In the left
aisle, over the altar of the central chapel, a fine old fresco, Madonna
and Child. — The Catacombs (see p. 455), to which there is an entrance
in the left aisle, are shown daily (except Sun. & holidays), 9-11.30 and
from 3 till sunset (closed June 15th-October 1st). The permesso is obtained
by the sacristan, from whom lights are also obtainable (1 fr.). Not more
than five persons are admitted at once.
On leaving the staircase which descends to Sant' Agnese we pro-