One of the largest and most complete Italian churches is located only about a block south of the Pantheon. When visiting Rome, be sure to stop in for at least a half hour and observe St. Catherine of Siena’s intricate tomb site (located in front of the church’s altar) and one of Michelangelo’s first pieces, The Risen Christ. If you are arriving at Stazione Termini located in the eastern part of center city, follow the directions below to arrive in Piazza Santa Maria sopra Minerva and enter one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in the Eternal City!

From the termini, situate yourself so that you are facing the Piazza dei Cinquecento and walk straight ahead until you reach V. le E. De Nicola onto which you will make the first left.

After about five blocks, make a right onto Via Agostino Depretris and walk until you hit the wide Via Nazionale onto which you will be making a left.

This will bring you into a square which holds the massive Mercati Traianei on your left and look for Via IV Novembre which will curve northward and to the right.

This street will eventually turn into Via C. Battisti, then Via Plebiscito, and finally the wide Corso Vittorio Emanuele.

Before you reach the Area Sacra on your left though near Chiesa del Gesu, one of two Jesuit churches in Rome, make a right onto Via dei Cestari and at the end of this street will stand the church slightly on the right (the Pantheon is down Via Palombella to the left; also, on the left of Chiesa del Gesu is the Palazzo Venezia). In case you are confused, look for Bernini’s obelisk of an elephant which rises to the sky in the middle of the piazza; this church is hard to miss!

Picture taken from: http://www.erboristeriaedaltro.com/camereciprobeb/chiesa%20santa%20maria%20sopra%20minerva%20roma.JPG