| Along the street leading to the Tuscolo's
ruins there is the hermitage of San Romualdo, founded at the beginning
of the 17th century, to give a see near Rome to the Camaldolensian.
In 1600, Giovanni Angelo Frumenti, a comasco nobleman, canon of
the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, chose the place called ‘Grotta
Celso' in the homonymous quarter to build the hermitage,
where there were other hermits. After collecting donations from
the nearby people, the 15th March 1607, began the construction
of some cells, but as the funds were not enough, the work proceeded
slowly. Pope Paolo V (1605-16037), ordered the construction of
a chapel, destroyed by a fire the 17th April 1683. In 1680 women
were interdicted to enter in the hermitage, except for the Princess
Borghese, who had donated the ornaments and vestments of the chapel.
This interdiction is still in use.
The Cardinal Passionei, a guest not welcomed by the monks,
installed himself in the hermitage, and feeling comfortable,
decided to restore it completely, modifying and widening it.
When he died, however, the hermits destroyed his works, trying
to restore the original form of the construction.
In 1772, there was the consecration of the church built following
the design of Tarquini.
|
