Porticus Ecclesiae Sanctae Agnetis. Lo scalone di accesso alla basilica onoriana

The great staircase between the upper courtyards and the lower level of the church of S. Agnese Fuori le Mura in Rome is the result of transformations, occurred through centuries, of the ramp used to descend from the ancient basilica to a little chapel with martyr’s remains, during the Constantinian era. The different alignment of the two parts of the staircase is connected with the views towards the two buildings. A first staircase, built in VII century, was the only entrance to the church’s ground floor, and it was restored in XIII and XV century, when cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere built the vault. The “cosmatesque” floor decoration and the name of “porticus” used in medieval documents to refer to the staircase suggest that this site was also a liturgical and processional route for celebrations. After the restoration of 1600-1605, by cardinal Alessandro de’Medici, and the opening of three new entrances on church’s facade, the staircase lost its liturgical functions and became a monumental entrance hall.