Santa Sabina
Church
Wooden door
Santa Sabina
Beautiful church with valuable wooden door
The Church of Santa Sabina was built in the 5th Century over the house of the Roman Christin Sabina and gives a good impression of the appearance of an early Christian basilica. In 824, Pope Eugene II equipped the church with precious marbles. In 1222 it became the property of the Dominican order. The highlight of the church is a wooden door, the Porta lignea, in the central portal. It is the oldest carved wooden door of Christian art. Originally 28 intricately carved reliefs from African cedar were incorporated into the door, of which 18 are still preserved. The beautiful reliefs depict scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The nave of the church is supported by 24 massive Corinthian columns of Parian marble. Over the main entrance you can admire one of the oldest mosaics in Rome: Two female figures symbolizing the conversion of pagans and Jews to Christianity. Also worth seeing is the font mosaic above the portal, which commemorates the founding of the Church by Peter of Illyria.
In the adjoining Dominican monastery you can visit a beautiful Romanesque cloister for a small fee.
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