Santa Maria in Trastevere

DOUG:  On one walk we crossed the Tiber to Trastevere, a quieter part of town with lots of little shops and places to eat.  It has a church, Santa Maria, which occupies the site of possibly the oldest official church in Rome, dating from the third century. The current structure dates back to the 12th century. On the face of the church were dozens of little commemorative panels, all with different designs; we never did find out what they were for!  Inside the church really felt old. The centerpiece, in the domed area high above the altar, is a beautiful 12th century mosaic that glowed in its gold-colored background. We realized how lucky we were to see that when the lights illuminating the mosaic turned off shortly afterward. The kids are getting the feel for pre-Renaissance and post-Renaissance art and the huge leap between the two. Accentuating this, on a stand by the altar, was resting a small and very old painting of a black Madonna and child.  This prompted some interesting questions from the kids which we could not really answer, which is fine.  It opens up new avenues for future exploration.