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The Mouth of Truth—Santa Maria in Cosmedin
It's a shame that so many who stop to see the Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth) on the porch don't take the time to go inside the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin itself
Bocca della Verità/Santa Maria in CosmedinPiazza Bocca della Verità 18
tel. +39-06-678-1419
Open daily 9am–6pm (5pm in winter)
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The Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) in Rome, Italy.
It's not the 11th century frescoes on the walls, the lovely 12th century bell tower, or the particolored cosmatesque pavement inside that draw the crowds to this medieval church; it's the ancient Roman sewer-covering inside the portico.
The Bocca della Verità is a heavy stone disc carved in the 4th century B.C. as a grotesque, bearded face with a gaping, dark slot for a mouth.
It got its nickname, the "Mouth of Truth," from the medieval tradition that holds if you stick your hand in its mouth and tell a lie, it'll clamp down on your fingers.
Apparently, a priest once added some sting to this belief by hiding behind the mouth with a scorpion, dispensing justice as he saw fit.
If all that sounds vaguely familiar, it's because Gregory Peck did this in Roman Holiday to impress Audrey Hepburn.
(Film legend holds that, when it came time to film the famous scene, Peck veered from how they'd rehearsed it, tucked his hand up his sleeve, and threw his all into pretending the thing really had bit off his hand, which is why Hepburn's shrieking is genuine.)
Tips
- Planning your day: If takes all of 90 seconds to pose for the camera with your hand stuck in the Mouth of Truth—though you may have to wait in line behind a busload of Japanese tourists. However, please do take another 15–20 minutes to pop into the church itself; it's quite evocative and pleasingly medieval inside. The gate closes 10 minutes before the church.
- Note: The gate to the portico—and access to the Mouth of Truth—closes 10 minutes before the church.
- Book a tour: If you prefer a private guided tour that visits the church (or at least the Mouth of Truth), book one via our partner site Viator.com.
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- Cow Forum: The church sits at the edge of what is affectionately known as the Foro Boario, or Cow Forum—you can't miss the pair of midget ancient temples across the street.
- Mass: You can attend services at Santa Maria in Cosmedin Sundays at 10:30am.
Related pages
- The Foro Boario across the road
- Churches in Rome
- More sights in Downtown Ancient Rome
- Sights in the neighboring Lower Tiber Bend
- Sights on the nearby Aventine Hill
- More ancient sights, ruins, and museums in Rome
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This material was last updated February 2011. All information was accurate at the time.
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