Caravaggio’s Rome: Art, Crime & a Fatal Mystery Free Tour

Begin in Piazza della Minerva, where Bernini’s playful Elephant and Obelisk combines ancient Egypt with Baroque Rome. Discover the symbolism hidden in this unusual monument and the history of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome’s great Gothic church, home to Michelangelo’s *Risen Christ* and centuries of art, faith and papal power.

Pause outside the Pantheon, Rome’s best-preserved ancient monument and one of the most influential buildings in Western architecture. Discover how its revolutionary dome inspired generations of artists and why Raphael chose this extraordinary Roman temple as his final resting place.

Enter San Luigi dei Francesi to see Caravaggio’s three original masterpieces in the Contarelli Chapel: The Calling, Inspiration, and Martyrdom of Saint Matthew. Discover how he used ordinary Romans, dramatic light and radical realism to transform religious art—and decide which figure in his famous Calling is really Matthew.

Inside the Basilica of Sant’Agostino, discover Caravaggio’s style and technique through the *Madonna of the Pilgrims*—his dramatic light, radical realism and use of ordinary people as sacred figures. Then compare it with Raphael’s *Prophet Isaiah* and see how two masters transformed Italian art in completely different ways.

Stand outside Caravaggio’s former home and discover the turbulent life behind his masterpieces. Hear how the rebellious artist lived, worked and clashed with the law in these very streets—and how his dramatic experiences shaped the raw realism, powerful emotions and revolutionary style of his paintings.

Visit the home of Lena Antognetti, Caravaggio’s favourite model and possible lover. A well-known courtesan in papal Rome, she inspired some of his most powerful female figures, including the Madonna of the Pilgrims. Discover how their scandalous relationship blurred the line between sacred art and real life.

End at Palazzo Borghese, home of Cardinal Scipione Borghese—Caravaggio’s powerful patron, obsessive collector and one of the key suspects in the mystery surrounding his death. Examine the clues, rivalries and political interests behind the case, then decide for yourself who may have wanted the artist silenced.