Basilica of Saint Mary of Minerva

This guide to the Basilica of Saint Mary of Minerva in Rome centers on the convent once attached to it, headquarters of the Roman Inquisition, where Galileo Galilei was brought after decades of proving the Earth circles the Sun. It also traces the church's own unusual identity as Rome's only Gothic building, raised over ground once tied to an ancient temple. You'll hear about the tomb of Saint Catherine of Siena and a marble figure carved by Michelangelo inside. Look for Bernini's small elephant holding an obelisk on the piazza outside.