My parents live quite near to our Church here in the Prati

Church of San Gioacchino in Prati

The church, which stands in the neighborhood of the same name, was built at the behest of Pope Leo XIII Pecci to celebrate his priestly jubilee; the works began in 1891 and were completed between 1898 and 1911.

Built by the architect Raffaele Ingami, the church is characterized by a composite style typical of the time and is richly decorated with polychrome marble and metal furnishings; it has a Latin cross plan and has three naves divided by pink granite columns with bronze capitals. The central door is flanked by two columns donated by the Tsar of Russia.

A particular feature of the building is the dome made of aluminum and pierced with crystal stars, thus allowing the light to enter in a suggestive way inside; we also remember the 14 chapels dedicated to as many Catholic nations that contributed to the construction of the building.

The church has been a parish since 1905 and is entrusted to the congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.