The Mauseoleum of Santa Costanza, Rome
The Mausoleum of Santa Costanza of Rome is named after Constantine the Great's daughter Constantia or Costanza. Built by Constantine as a mausoleum for his daughter, this building was later consecrated as a church in 1256. [1] The buildings materials are heavy tiles for the ceilings and the roof.
The plans and elevations of this building are very simple, as they should be being that they are to house tombs but inside is detailed very thoroughly. Construction on the funerary hall and baptistery likely began after Constantine's last visit to Rome in 326 and must have been completed by 329 or 330 -the death of Constantine's sister, who is known to have been baptized there. Pope Alessandro IV took what were believed to be Constantia's remains from the main sarcophagus, placed them beneath a central altar, and consecrated the building in her honor on March 12, 1256 [2]
The structure is circular, modeled similarly to the funerary architectural exemplars. The building consists of 12 paired granite Corinthian columns and arches that support the dome as well as define the central space which is where the altar is placed. The altar is raised above onto two platforms, the bottom one a dodecagon - 12 sided shape topped with a rectangular shape and then the altar sits on top. The flooring appears to be a small brown squared shape tile that was designed to lay according to the width of the columns to create a connection from the dodecagon shape below the altar to the columns and the ambulatory.
Surrounding the altar is the ambulatory, the aisle for walking which is made up of alternating round and square niches ceilings and walls are beautifully detailed with 4th century mosaics of harvesting grapes and an intertwining of vines, peacocks as well as geometric shapes in rich colored tiles of greens, whites, browns and blues. Below the dome there is 12 large clerestory windows - squared on the bottom and rounded on the top in order to provide light directly below to the altar and allow to steep into the surrounding ambulatory. The four main niches may suggest a cross, just as the 12 windows of the clerestory may suggest the Apostles.
The funerary hall (c. 330) now lies in ruins in a garden adjacent to the mausoleum, which it is fenced and not possible to enter. However, descending the hill to Piazza Annibaliano provides a clear view of the west end, where the outer wall survives to its full height. It is similar in layout to the other funerary halls built by Constantine in Rome, such as St. Peter's, San Sebastiano and San Lorenzo. This one was dedicated to St. Agnes (who is honored in a nearby church) and was about 120 meters long. In the chancel area are the remains of an apse area, where Constantia may have originally been buried. [5]
Sources Cited:
1- GreatBuildings.com
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