San Giacomo alla Lungara

About

San Giacomo alla Lungara is a church in Rome (Italy), in the Rione Trastevere, facing on Via della Lungara. It is also called San Giacomo in Settimiano or in Settignano, due to its vicinity to Porta Settimiana, built by Septimius Severus and included by Aurelianus within the city walls. The church has medieval origins: it probably dates back to the papacy of Leo IV in 9th century.

However, the former documents attesting its existence are papal bulls promulgated in 1198 and 1228, when the church was declared a branch of St. Peter's Basilica by Pope Innocent III. In 12th century Pope Innocent IV allowed it to the Sylvestrine Congregation; in 1620 the Vatican Chapter entrusted the church to the Franciscans and then to the Penitent Nuns, which, in 1644, charged Luigi Arrigucci (1575–1644) with the restoration of the building: because of these restorations, the church lost its basilican layout with three naves and became a single nave church with coffering on the ceiling.

In the same period the nuns also built the annexed cloister, devoted to the prostitutes wishing to change their life; the cloister was demolished in 1887, during the building of the Lungotevere. In the same period the church...