Rome churches

An artistic treasure you can’t miss, Rome churches

No tourist, being a Catholic believer or not, can avoid visiting some of the astonishingly beautiful churches of Rome, also because, wandering around the city centre, is extremely difficult not to bump right into one of them. The five most important churches in Rome, also known with the Latin term of Basilicas, are St. John Lateran, the cathedral and mother church of the world St. Peter, St. Paul outside the walls, St. Mary Major, and St. Lawrence outside the walls, these with the basilicas of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and S. Sebastiano, are the Seven Churches of Rome, seven churches in Rome, which have to be visited by pilgrims in order to gain indulgences. Among minor basilicas rank Sant'Agnese fuori le mura, Santi Apostoli, Santa Cecilia, San Clemente and Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri. But there are so many other interesting Rome churches, full of paintings, frescoes, mosaics, relics, catacombs, and several other features. The huge number of Rome churches also cover more or less all the major European architectonic styles, from the Middle Ages to nowadays, so they can meet the tastes of almost every tourist. On the official site of the Holy See you will find extensive information about all the major Rome churches and about Vatican Library and Museums.

Rome churches: instructions for use
Some Rome churches are open only for a short time in the morning and evening, so be sure to check closing times on your guide and remember that most churches don't allow visiting during a service. Be sure to be properly dressed to enter Rome churches and basilicas, dress codes are vigorously enforced, St. Peter's is especially strict. No sleeveless blouses or shirts (such as tanktops), or shorts, dresses should be preferably below the knee. Many Rome churches are quite dark inside, but some have coin-operated lighting for chapels, special paintings and statuary, so remember to keep some change for those features.

Rome churches: St. Peter
St. Peter's Basilica is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City and has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is considered one of the holiest Christian sites. According to Catholic tradition and to some historical evidence   Saint Peter's tomb is directly below the altar of the basilica, for this reason, many Popes have been interred here since the Early Christian period. Like some Rome churches, St. Peter is cruciform in shape, with an elongated nave in the Latin cross form. The central space is dominated both externally and internally by one of the largest domes in the world. The entrance is through a narthex, or entrance hall, which stretches across the building. One of the decorated bronze doors leading from the narthex is the Holy Door, only opened in Holy Years. If you want to have more information about St. Peter history and architecture or on times and fares for visiting the Vatican City you can check this site Saintpeterbasilica.org.

Rome churches: Saint Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs
Among the many churches of Rome, Santa Maria degli angeli e dei Martiri ( Saint Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs) stands out as one of the most complex monumental sites. This  Basilica has not only being built within the perimeter of the Diocletian Baths, one of the most important and magnificent archeological sites in Rome, but it is also the last great architectural project from the genius of Michelangelo. As many Rome churches it is a monument to history, faith, art and science. The Basilica was placed in the heart of the ancient baths, the Frigidarium (cold room), with a magnificent cross-vaulted ceiling, only the brilliance of Michelangelo could  transform the frigidarium into a church nave. Before visiting this astonishing piece of history, you can check its website Santamariadegliangeliroma.it

Rome churches: San Clemente
Whether on pilgrimage to Rome or just seeing the sights, you will find that the Basilica of San Clemente is not just another one of Rome churches, it is unique. There are magnificent frescoes and a twelfth-century mosaic of the Cross as the Tree of Life. You can travel back in time and visit a fourth-century basilica before exploring what was once a pagan temple, centuries of Christian faith, art and history all in a single building. You can find all the information you need to visit one of the less known and yet most beautiful temples of Christianity on its website Basilicasanclemente.com.

Rome churches: St. John Lateran
Another of the most prominent churches in Rome is the Basilica of St. John Lateran, cathedral church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope. St. John Lateran is the oldest of  the five major basilicas and being
 the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome and containing the papal throne (Cathedra Romana),  from the religious point of view, it is considered even more important than St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Founded by Constantine, during the time of Silvester (314-335) it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. The current basilica dates from the 17th century. Among the many breathtaking features of this diamond of all Rome churches, we want to remind you the apse lined with mosaics; the famous Holy Steps, which according to Roman Catholic tradition, is the staircase to the praetorium of Pilate at Jerusalem, walked by Jesus Christ during his Passion; and last but not least the Baptistry. Saint John Lateran baptistry is the oldest in the western world, for a while was the only one in Rome and served as a model for all baptistries in the Christian world. For more information on this and on many other Rome churches you can also check the site Sacred-destination.com