Panorama of Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. This picture shows the entrance to the church and the base of the column in the square.

Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore - Rome visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Roma.

Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore is in front of the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the most beautiful and higly decorated churches in Rome. At the rear of the church is Piazza dell'Esquilino. In the middle of the square is a Marian Column. This was one of the first columns in Imperial Rome to have a statue of Mary placed on the top.

In ancient times a statue of the Emperor would be placed on top of the column. This was last done with the Column of Phocas, erected in the Roman Forum in 608. These columns were sometimes re-used by the church, such as the Column of Marcus Aurelius in Piazza Colonna which now has a statue of St. Paul at the top.

Metro: Cavour (B), Termini (A,B).