Roman Forum - Rome, Italy - Ancient Ruins beside Santi Luca e Martina

Ancient columns, brickwork and archaeological remains fill the Roman Forum, with the Baroque church of Santi Luca e Martina rising prominently beside them.

The Roman Forum was the political, religious and commercial heart of ancient Rome, filled with temples, basilicas, monuments and government buildings accumulated over many centuries. In this photograph, layers of ancient masonry, columns and excavated structures occupy the foreground and middle distance, while the white façade of the Church of Santi Luca e Martina rises prominently on the right. The church stands directly on the edge of the Forum and today is considered one of the masterpieces of Roman Baroque architecture. Its origins go back to the 7th century, but its present appearance was largely shaped by Pietro da Cortona during the 17th century. The juxtaposition of ancient ruins, medieval foundations and later Baroque architecture illustrates one of Rome’s most distinctive qualities: different periods of history surviving side by side within the same urban landscape.