The church is the biggest church located close to the central station in Rome so if you walk to or from the station you could walk close by this church.
The first church at this location probably was built under the reign of Pope Celestine I who was pope between 422 and 432. And the present church is magnificent. It is actually one of only four churches designated major basilicas in Rome – the three other are the Church of St. Peter, the Basilica di San Giovanni in Lateran and St. Paul which is outside the old walls of Rome.
Santa Maria Maggiore is located on a big piazza which it dominates. When you stand at the piazza you will have to look up a bit if you want to see the clock tower – it is the tallest in all of Rome with its 75 meters.
Inside the church it is the floor is famous for its cosmat mosaic from the 12th century – if you look up from the floor you can see the sealing which is decorated in the 16th century with the first gold brought back from Americas. The main isles in the church are surrounded by 36 columns holding the golden roof.
A bit separated from the main church you find a baptism chapel – the chapel is separated from the main church since in the early church they didn’t want people who were not baptized entering the church – hence they had to baptized in a separate location.
Somewhere in the church you should be able to find the final resting place of Bernini. Somehow I missed this spot when I was looking at the rest of the church.