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Sant’Anna a Tor Tre Teste is a small 17th century deconsecrated church attached to the remains of a mediaeval tower in a military precinct at Via Prenestina 492 (there is serious confusion as to the correct number). This is in the Tor Sapienza suburban zone.

The dedication was to St Anne, the mother of Our Lady.

History[]

The defensive tower was built in the 12th century, and incorporated older material. One item was a side of an ancient stone sarcophagus showing three heads, and this gave its name firstly to the tower and then to the suburb of Tor Tre Teste (Three Head Tower). 

The church was built in the 17th century by the Canons of the Lateran for what was then a small hamlet.

However in 1948 the tower began to collapse, and by 1951 only the wall next to the altar end of the church was left. In 1972, most of this fell down except for one corner. The church had to be closed, and the edifice is presently reported to be disused. It has been formally deconsecrated.

The remains of the tower have been consolidated, and the carved relief is displayed inserted into a wall to the right of the church.

This locality is now served by the new church of San Cirillo Alessandro.

Appearance[]

This is a very simple building, with no distinguishing features.

It has a rectangular plan, and a pitched and tiled roof. The façade has a single doorway with a simple door-case, and a pair of small square stone-framed windows low down. The gable is outlined by simple lines of string-course to give the shadow of a triangular pediment.

External links[]

Official diocesan web-page (notice of deconsecration posted separately)

Info.roma web-page

Meetart web-page

Article on the tower

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