Rome is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and every year welcomes millions of tourists curious to visit its beauties. Such as the most beautiful churches in Rome. Few people know that in the Italian capital, there are 900 churches, each with particularities, artistic masterpieces, and architectures that have marked entire eras.
Today we want to tell you the story of the ten most beautiful churches in Rome. Are you ready for this exciting journey? Then make yourself comfortable and enjoy your reading!
What are the most beautiful churches to visit in Rome?
Rome is the metropolis with the most churches in the world. In the last 17 centuries, many of these have been places of worship that have been the background to the essential artistic currents, marking the religious and social evolution.
Indeed, the history of Roman churches is very ancient. After the first persecutions of the third century, Emperor Constantine I allowed Christians to have places destined for their religious worship. So, the first churches were erected in the areas where the first faithful gathered in private and in great secrecy. Therefore, they were often houses of private citizens who housed the faithful or houses that owned a titulus.
So, only the tituli could distribute the sacraments. They were endowed with more presbyters. And also, the most crucial priest took the name of cardinal. In other cases, they were places where people did charity, called deacons, managed by deacons and archdeacons, in the case of the larger structures.
The most important churches are divided into:
- Papal churches
- He asked for pilgrims
- Paleochristian and medieval churches
- Gothic churches
- Renaissance churches
- Baroque churches
- Continental churches
- Shrines and abbeys
But which are the most beautiful and important ones in the capital? We tried to select the ten churches every Christian, or in this case, a lover of architecture and art should visit.
Representation of a festive event in one of the most beautiful churches in Rome
Source: help-tourists-in-rome.com
1. The Basilica of San Pietro
So, our journey could only begin with St. Peter’s Basilica, one of the most beautiful churches in the world. Therefore, the square welcomes and embraces the pilgrims. And the faithful come from every corner of the earth to listen to the words of the pope—surrounded by a beautiful and famous colonnade by Bernini.
The structure of the basilica is in Renaissance and Baroque styles. For the faithful, it is the center of Christianity. Inside is the tomb of St. Peter, above which the altar was erected.
2. The Basilica of Saint Maria Maggiore
The Basilica of Saint Maria Maggiore was founded by Pope Liberius, who decided to build it in the place where. As legend has it, on August 4, 352, it snowed. The basilica has a particularity that distinguishes it: the tallest bell tower in Rome. Indeed, inside there are the remains of numerous popes and Bernini.
We find ourselves again in front of one of the four papal basilicas in the Rione Monti. It is one of the few churches that has managed to preserve the original early Christian structure, which was then enriched by the styles of later periods.
3. The Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano
The Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano was founded by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century and restored in Baroque style by Francesco Borromini. The basilica is essential for Christians as it is one of the four major papal basilicas, the oldest in the West. It was the site of the coronations of most of the popes.
4. The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls
According to tradition, the Basilica of San Paolo Fuori le mura was built where the apostle Paul was buried, along the road leading to Ostia. The basilica dated back to the 4th century and was rebuilt after 1823 when a fire destroyed it. The architects Pasquale Belli and Giuseppe Valadier gave it its current appearance.
The basilica of San Paolo Fuori le mura was rebuilt after the fire of 1823 – by Pasquale Belli and Giuseppe Valadier.
5. The Basilica of San Sebastiano outside the walls
The Basilica of San Sebastiano Fuori le mura was built in the 4th century. The Saracens destroyed its original structure and then rebuilt it until it reached its present form in the 17th century. Near the church, it is also possible to visit the catacombs of San Sebastiano.
The basilica was one of the seven churches visited by pilgrims during the Jubilee until 2000. Later it was replaced by the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Divino Amore.
6. The Church of Saint Maria del Popolo
We want to conclude our journey to discover the most beautiful and fascinating churches in Rome with the Church of Saint Maria del Popolo. So, the church was built on the spot where Nero died and was buried, in Piazza del Popolo, at the behest of Pope Sixtus IV. Inside there are some of the most beautiful masterpieces by Bernini and Caravaggio.
7. The Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
The Basilica of Saint Cross in Jerusalem was built on the lands of Empress Helen, mother of Constantine, in the Lateran. Indeed, according to tradition, the wooden remains belonging to the Cross of Jesus are preserved inside. In addition to being one of the most beautiful churches in Rome, it is also an essential point of reference for Christians worldwide.
8. The Basilica of Saint Sabina
The Basilica of Saint Sabina is the most representative example of a Romanesque church in Rome. It is located near the Orange Garden and, thanks to its position, it is perfectly isolated and silent away from the city’s noise, where the faithful can pray, meditate and enjoy the quiet.
9. The Church of Saint Maria in Trastevere
The Church of Saint Maria in Trastevere was built by Pope Callisto I around the third century in the place where oil began to flow from the ground. The church is in Romanesque style, although its present appearance dates back to the 12th century following a reconstruction made using the salvaged material of the Baths of Caracalla.
10. The Pantheon
The Pantheon was born as a pagan temple dedicated to the cult of the Roman gods. Around the seventh century, it was transformed into the Collegiate Basilica of Saint Maria ad Martyres, allowing it to arrive intact to the present day.
The Pantheon of the most beautiful churches in Rome has several peculiarities. The structure represents a perfect sphere. Both the diameter of the design and the height correspond to 43.44 m. Another curiosity concerns the famous forum on the top of the basilica. Indeed, according to legend, it was created to allow pagan gods to go out; according to others, the magic of this hole prevents drops from entering even on days of heavy rain.
Conclusion
Therefore, there are many beautiful churches in Rome, and each one knows how to tell the story of a beautiful city with a strong spiritual appeal. So, these churches have struck us for their history, the particularities, the frescoes, and the exquisite sacred statues inside them. Are you looking for the figures of the saints devoted to your home? On Amazon, you can find what is right for you!
