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Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

Saint Paul (Rome) - Facade

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Front of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome, Italy.

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Rome, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, cloister.

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

St. Pauls Outside the Walls, Rome, Italy.

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Rome, Saint Paul Outside the Walls (San Paolo fuori le mura), Holy Door.

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The apse mosaic of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Italy, created in 1220 by Venetian artists, depicts Christ flanked by the Apostles Peter, Paul, Andrew, and Luke. Near Christ's feet is a small figure representing Pope Honorius III, who commissioned the mosaic. Pope Honorius III, born Cencio More
Savelli, served as Pope from 1216 to 1227. Less

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Portrait of Honorius III - Detail of the apse mosaic of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (1220), Rome, Italy. Pope Honorius III ordered the mosaic and, following Roman Catholic tradition, is represented near Christ's feet. Pope Honorius III (1148–1227), born Cencio Savelli, was Pope from 1216 to 1227.

Front of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome, Italy.

Rome, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, cloister.

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

St. Pauls Outside the Walls, Rome, Italy.

Rome, Saint Paul Outside the Walls (San Paolo fuori le mura), Holy Door.

The apse mosaic of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Italy, created in 1220 by Venetian artists, depicts Christ flanked by the Apostles Peter, Paul, Andrew, and Luke. Near Christ's feet is a small figure representing Pope Honorius III, who commissioned the mosaic. Pope Honorius III, born Cencio Savelli, served as Pope from 1216 to 1227.

Portrait of Honorius III - Detail of the apse mosaic of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (1220), Rome, Italy. Pope Honorius III ordered the mosaic and, following Roman Catholic tradition, is represented near Christ's feet. Pope Honorius III (1148–1227), born Cencio Savelli, was Pope from 1216 to 1227.

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

Rome, Italy

St Paul Outside the Walls, also called the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, stands on the outskirts of Rome. Surrounded by a mostly modern and unremarkable neighborhood, the basilica offers a striking contrast with its grand architecture and deep history.

The Story Behind the Basilica

This enormous basilica is not the original structure. The ancient basilica, one of Rome's earliest Christian sites, suffered a devastating fire in 1823. What visitors see today is a careful and faithful reconstruction, completed in 1854. Despite the destruction, dedicated efforts saved several parts of the old interior. These rescued pieces have been painstakingly restored, allowing a glimpse into the artistry and devotion of earlier centuries.

Highlights for Visitors

Afternoon tends to be a quieter time to explore, as large tourist groups are less common later in the day. One of the most enchanting areas is the medieval cloister, which managed to survive the fire. Its peaceful atmosphere and historic details stand as a reminder of the basilica’s long past.

Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Saint_Paul_Outside_the_Walls

Outstanding Landmarks

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Spanish Steps

Rome, Italy

A truly monumental stairway of 135 steps (similar to climbing eight flights of stairs), built with French funds between 1721 and 1725 in order to link the Bourbon Spanish embassy to the Holy See (still located in the piazza below), with the Bourbon French church (its monastery founded in 1495) above. Don't sit on them though, or eat, or push a baby stroller on them, or do anything else that might obstruct pedestrians, make them dirty, or cause additional wear and tear, or else you will have to pay a fine that ranges from €250 to €400.

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Villa of the Quintilii

Rome, Italy

This impressive villa covers 23 hectares. It can be accessed from the Via Appia Nuova (Bus 118) or through Via Appia Antica 251. Parts can be seen from the Appian Way at around the 5th mile just after No 251. The villa was built by Maximus and Condinus Quintilii. The emperor Commudus liked it so much that he put the brothers to death in 182 AD and took it for himself. A museum has friezes and sculptures from the villa. The nypheum, the tepidarium and the baths may also be visited. At Appia Antica 251 is Santa Maria Nova, a farmhouse that has undergone many reincarnations since being built on top of a Roman cistern that was probably used by Villa dei Quintilii.

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Circus Maximus

Rome, Italy

The contours of the ancient stadium, built in the 6th Century B.C., are still visible in what is now a park in the shadow of the Palatine. Circus Maximus was primarily devoted to chariot races and was used for this purpose until around 550 AD. The stadium could seat up to 150,000 people. Originally built of wood, it burnt down twice, on the second occasion starting the great fire when the Emperor Nero was said to fiddle while Rome burned. It was in one of the tunnels here that Caligula met his end. Excavations began in 2009 at the east end of the circus and are likely to go on for some years.

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Santa Prassede

Rome, Italy

Fantastic Byzantine mosaics and some other interesting artwork. Not to be missed. 30 minutes are sufficient for a relaxed visit.

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Palazzo Farnese

Rome, Italy

Since 1871 this has been the French Embassy. This 16th-century palace contains an important fresco cycle by Annibale Carracci and houses a library of collections by the French school in Rome, particularly on Roman archaeology. Note the two beautiful fountains in the piazza.

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Arch of Constantine

Rome, Italy

Located a short walk west of the Colosseum, this well-preserved monumental arch was erected (soon after 315) to commemorate the victory of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312. In general design, the Arch of Constantine imitates the century-earlier Arch of Septimius Severus (nearby in the Forum). The three arches are decorated utilizing mainly materials plundered from other imperial monuments by Trajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius. The quality of its sculptural decoration, however, betrays the slow degradation that Classical Roman sculpture had experienced in the 3rd century AD.

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Monte Mario

Rome, Italy

The highest hill in Rome at 139 m, with sweeping views of the Vatican and Rome across the Tiber.

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Castel Sant'Angelo

Rome, Italy

Perhaps the most fascinating building in Rome. The core of the structure began life as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, built between 135 and 139 AD. Subsequent strongholds built on top of the mausoleum were in turn incorporated into a residence and castle by medieval Popes. The building was used as a prison until 1870 but now houses a museum. Opera buffs will be exhilarated to visit the balcony from which Tosca leaps to her death. Film buffs will recognise it as a setting from Angels and Demons.

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Elephant and Obelisk

Rome, Italy

One of Bernini's masterpieces, an obelisk on the back of an elephant.

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Park of the Caffarella

Rome, Italy

Caffarella Park covers an area of 339 ha and is part of the larger Appia Antica park. It contains both a working farm and numerous Roman ruins, some quite well preserved and is a great place for a stroll or cycle away from Rome’s traffic.

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Keats-Shelley Memorial House

Rome, Italy

The house in which the famous English poet John Keats succumbed to consumption, now preserved as a memorial to his life and that of his friend Shelley, both of whom are buried in Rome's Protestant Cemetery (see Testaccio).

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Casina delle Civette

Rome, Italy

This strange-looking, but delightful, building has undergone several transformations since its original construction as a rustic hideaway from the main villa in the park. It underwent a significant redesign in the early 1900s and again in 1917. The emphasis of the museum is on stained glass. The twenty rooms include 54 pieces of stained glass replaced, after restoration, in their original positions, 18 pieces of stained glass acquired and displayed on separate frames, and 105 sketches and preparatory cartoons for stained glass in churches in Rome.

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Palazzo Madama

Rome, Italy

This palace of the 16th century was erected by the famous Medici family. It was the residence of Cardinals Giovanni and Giuliano Medici, later Pope Leo X. and Clement VII. Catherine de Medici, Pope Clement VII's niece lived here until her marriage in 1553 with Prince Henry, the son of King Francis I of France. The palace is named after Madama Margerita of Austria, the illegitimate daughter of Emperor Charles V. Since 1871 it has been the seat of the Italian Senate.

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Tiber Island

Rome, Italy

This is the island located in the middle of the Tiber River (Il Fiume Tevere) that separates Central Rome and Trastevere. It boasts both a major hospital, called Fatebenefratelli, and a small synagogue that was secretly used in the Second World War when Rome's main synagogue nearby was closed down. It also has a café and gelateria on the Rome side. It is a nice way of getting to and from Trastevere. Be sure to get photos from Ponte Garibaldi as Isola Tiberina truly is beautiful. The island is 270 m long and up to 67 m broad. According to the legend envoys were sent to the temple of Asklepius in Epidauros in Greece in 291BC in order to get relief from an epidemic in Rome. The envoys brought one of the holy snakes back with them. The snake swam to the Tiber Island thus determining the place where a temple for Asklepius was built. The successor of the Asklepius sanctuary is the Church San Bartolomeo which was built by the German Emperor Otto III around the year 1000. The Ponte Rotto is what is left from the ancient Pons Aemilius, the oldest stone bridge over the Tiber erected around 180 BC. The bridge was partly destroyed during a flood in 1557, re-erected by Pope Gregor XIII and finally pulled down in 1598. In 62 BC the Senatorial road construction office replaced the wooden footbridge by the Ponte Fabricio.

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Roman Ghetto

Rome, Italy

The Ghetto lies between the island in the River Tiber and the Theatre of Marcellus and includes Rome’s synagogue. It was established in 1555 as a result of a Papal Bull by Pope Paul IV that required all Jews to live in the area, considered one of the least desirable quarters of the city, as it was subject to constant flooding by the river. The area was originally enclosed by walls and gates that were only open during the day. With the end of the Papal States in 1870, the requirement that Jews live in the Ghetto came to an end. The walls were torn down in 1888 and much of the ghetto was demolished. However, there is still much to see, including walls of buildings that incorporate Roman ruins, and there are several good Jewish restaurants.