{"id":9539,"date":"2022-01-27T11:20:03","date_gmt":"2022-01-27T11:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/basilica-of-saint-paul-outside-the-walls-rome\/"},"modified":"2024-09-10T12:25:32","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T12:25:32","slug":"basilica-of-saint-paul-outside-the-walls-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/basilica-of-saint-paul-outside-the-walls-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Located outside the Aurelian Walls marking the boundaries of ancient Rome, the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura) is one of Rome’s four major basilicas and the 2nd<\/sup>-largest church in the capital after St. Peter’s.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Follow the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n

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Insider<\/strong> Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Top tip:<\/strong> Free guided city tour<\/a> (in English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accommodations:<\/strong> all our tips recommendations <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan your stay:<\/strong> the complete guide to Rome<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting Rome with children:<\/strong> all our tips<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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A Brief History of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls<\/h2>\n\n

Who Was Saint Paul?<\/h3>\n\n

Saint Paul, also known as Paul of Tarsus or Saul, was a Roman citizen of Jewish origin and a key figure in early Christianity.<\/p>\n\n

Born in Tarsus (modern-day Turkey) in the 1st<\/sup> century AD, Paul initially opposed Christianity. After his conversion, he became one of the faith’s most ardent supporters, dedicating his life to spreading the Christian message. His letters, or epistles, addressed to early Christian communities, are some of the earliest Christian writings.<\/p>\n\n

Paul was eventually persecuted during the reign of Emperor Nero and was beheaded on the Via Ostiense in Rome for his faith.<\/p>\n\n

The Foundation of the Basilica<\/h3>\n\n

According to Christian tradition, Paul’s body was retrieved by a Christian Roman woman and buried in a necropolis outside the Aurelian Walls, hence the basilica’s name: St. Paul Outside the Walls.<\/p>\n\n

In 313, after Emperor Constantine’s Edict of Milan legalized Christianity, the emperor commissioned the construction of the first basilica over Paul’s tomb, which quickly became a major pilgrimage site. By 383, this early structure was replaced by a much larger basilica built under Emperor Theodosius I..<\/sup><\/p>\n\n

For centuries, St. Paul Outside the Walls remained Rome\u2019s largest church until the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica in the 16th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n\n

\"Basilica<\/figure>\n\n

The Fire of 1823<\/h3>\n\n

A tragic fire in 1823 almost completely destroyed the basilica, sparing only a few original features, including the 13th<\/sup>-century cloister and the magnificent triumphal arch mosaic.<\/p>\n\n

Rebuilt in the 19th<\/sup> century following the original layout, the new basilica adopted elements of neoclassical design, like the coffered ceiling.<\/p>\n\n

The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls is one of the four major basilicas of Rome, alongside St. Peter\u2019s<\/a>, St. John Lateran<\/a>, and Santa Maria Maggiore<\/a>. It remains the 2nd<\/sup>-largest church in the Italian capital after St. Peter\u2019s Basilica.<\/p>\n\n

Visiting the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls<\/h2>\n\n

The Exterior of the Basilica<\/h3>\n\n

Before stepping inside the basilica, take a moment to appreciate its impressive exterior.<\/p>\n\n

In the center of the atrium<\/strong>, you\u2019ll find a colossal statue of St. Paul<\/strong>, holding his symbolic attributes: the sword of his martyrdom and the book of the Epistles.<\/p>\n\n

Dating from the 19th<\/sup> century, the stunning mosaic on the basilica’s fa\u00e7ade<\/strong> is also worth admiring. It features:<\/p>\n\n