Church of Sant'Anna dei Palafrenieri (St. Anne)
Via Sant'Anna Città del Vaticano VA
Vatican's Parish Open to the Public with Frequent Mass Times
Located just beyond Porta Sant’Anna, Sant’Anna dei Palafrenieri is the only public church within Vatican City. Its history dates back to 1565 and is closely linked to the Papal Palafrenieri (groomers), who venerated St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, as their patron.
The design of the church belongs to the great Italian architect Giacomo Barozzi. Sant’Anna is one of the first churches in Rome with an elliptical plan, a design that influenced a lot of other sacred buildings. In the early 18th century, bell towers and decorative angels were added to the facade. The interior, originally featuring white walls, was transformed by Baroque influence with light blue, cream, and gilt details. Four windows were bricked up and replaced with four frescoes illustrating scenes from the life of St. Anne.
The central altar showcases a painting of St. Anne with the Child Virgin from 1927. Originally, the church was intended to house Caravaggio's Madonna dei Palafrenieri.
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