This church is the final magnificent structure you will see before entering the Forum. It was dedicated to St. Mary when built during the 10th century. The church was renamed Santa Francesca Romana honoring Frances of Rome when she was canonized in 1608. Her relics are inside in a glass coffin. Seven years later, this beautiful façade was added. Curiously, Pope Pius XI made her the patron saint of car drivers in 1925.
