The "Eternal City"of Rome has been an important world city and sacred place since ancient times.
Rome's history as a city extends nearly 2,800 years, during which time it has been the seat of the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, Roman Empire, the Papal States, the Kingdom of Italy and the Italian Republic.
The first known Roman temple was built around 575 BC. A Jewish community was established in Rome in 161 BC and remains active today. Christians arrived in the 1st century AD, and Rome has been an important center of Catholic Christianity ever since.
Rome's abundance of ancient temples, synagogues, churches and shrines make it one of the best cities to see the holy places of a variety of religious traditions. Modern Rome is a huge capital city, with more than 2.5 million people living within the city limits. Catholic Christianity is the official state religion and most Romans are Catholics. About 15,000 Jews live in Rome today. In 1929, the independent state of Vatican City was established by treaty. It is ruled both politically and spiritually by the Pope and has a population of about 900. Despite its distinct political status, we include it with Rome as it is geographically and religiously part of the city.
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Appian Way The most important of ancient Roman roads, the Via Appia is home to catacombs, tombs and early Christian chapels. |
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Arch of Constantine This triumphal arch next to the Colosseum is an important monument of religious history: it celebrates Constantine's victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge, which led to his conversion to Christianity. |
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Arch of Titus Located near the entrance to the imperial Forum, this triumphal arch is of religious interest because of a relief depicting the destruction and looting of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. |
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Capitoline Hill and Museum Capitoline Hill is the most sacred of the seven in Rome. Today, it mainly hosts the Capitoline Museum, featuring temple ruins, classical sculptures and the remains of a colossal statue of Constantine. |
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Catacombs
The numerous catacombs of Rome provide a fascinating glimpse into ancient Christian (and Jewish and pagan) history and art in Rome. |
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Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheatre)
The famous Colosseum has long been considered sacred because of its association with early Christian martyrs, but this may be only legendary. Regardless, this spectacular structure is a must-see. |
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Domine Quo Vadis Chapel A small chapel on the Appian Way, this marks the spot where St. Peter, fleeing persecution, saw the risen Christ and asked, Domine quo vadis? ("Lord, where are you going?"). |
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Forum
The Imperial Forum is a vast stretch of ancient ruins in the center of Rome. When completed, our article will focus on its ancient temple ruins and early churches. |
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Gesu
This huge, very Baroque church is the headquarters of the Jesuits and has served as the model for Jesuit churches everywhere. The tomb of St. Ignatius, the order's founder, is topped by the largest piece of lapis lazuli in existence. |
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Great Synagogue of Rome This huge and magnificent synagogue dates from 1904, after King Victor Emmanuel II dismantled the Roman Ghetto and granted the Jews of Rome full citizenship. It includes an excellent Jewish museum. |
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Mamertime Prison
On the Capitoline Hill above the Forum is this ancient prison where St. Peter and Paul are said to have been held before their execution in Rome. A tiny lower room contains a miraculous spring created by Peter. |
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Pantheon This magnificent ancient temple was built by Emperor Hadrian in 125 AD and converted into a church in 609. It is the oldest intact ancient building in Rome and one of the city's most spectacular sights. |
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Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura Dedicated to a young woman who was martyred in 303 AD, this church was originally built by Constantine and rebuilt by in the 7th century. It has a Byzantine apse mosaic and crowd-free catacombs underneath. |
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Santa Cecilia in Trastavere This church and convent stands on the site of the 2nd-century home of Cecilia, patron saint of music. Her body was found incorrupt in 1599. Upstairs is a 13th-century fresco; downstairs is her Roman-era house. |
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San Clemente
This lovely 12th-century basilica incorporates two previous sacred buildings: downstairs is a church built in 392, with a frescoed narthex, and even lower down is a 2nd-century Mithraic temple. |
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Santa Costanza This fascinating little round church was built c.360 AD to house the tombs of Constantine's daughter and sister. Its ceilings are covered in some of the earliest Christian mosaics to be found anywhere. |
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SS Cosma e Damiano This ancient church in the Imperial Forum contains ruins of a Roman temple (overlooked through a glass wall in the back) and some wonderful early Christian mosaics in the apse. |
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Santa Croce in Gerusalemme This basilica near St. John Lateran is overlooked by too many visitors. Incorporating the private chapel of Helen, Constantine's mother, it houses impressive relics from the Holy Land. |
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San Giovanni in Fonte (Lateran Baptistery) Also known as the Lateran Baptistery, this octagonal structure is the oldest baptistery in Christendom, built by Emperor Constantine in 315. |
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San Giovanni in Laterano Dedicated to both John the Evangelist and John the Baptist, St. John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome and one of the city's four major basilicas. It includes a lovely 13th-century cloister and an ancient baptistery. |
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San Lorenzo fuori le Mura This major pilgrimage basilica features a columned portico, 6th-century mosaic, catacombs, and lovely 12th-century cloister. It is dedicated to Lawrence, who was martyred by roasting on a gridiron. |
Santa Maria degli Angeli This interesting basilica on the Piazza della Repubblica incorporates the remains of the extensive Baths of Diocletian. Inside are works of medieval and modern art and an astronomical gnomon. |
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Santa Maria in Trastevere This church is held to be the first place of Christian worship in Rome, built where a fountain of oil sprung up on the day of Christ's birth. Inside are many excellent mosaics. |
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Santa Maria Maggiore Built on the site of a miraculous snowfall, this major basilica dates mainly from 420 AD. A huge and impressive space, the church is lined with ancient mosaics and contains many important relics, including a piece of the crib of Christ. |
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Santa Maria sopra Minerva Said to be Rome's only Gothic church, this 13th-century basilica was built over a temple to Minerva. Inside, it contains many art treasures as well as the venerated tomb of St. Catherine of Siena. |
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San Paolo fuori le Mura This spectacular major basilica shelters the bones of the Apostle Paul. It also boasts beautiful cloisters, a golden mosaiced exterior, a huge collection of artifacts discovered nearby, and a museum. |
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San Pietro in Vincoli A church housing the venerated chains that held St. Peter while he was imprisoned in Rome before being freed by an angel. |
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San Pietro (St. Peter's Basilica) For Catholics, St. Peter's is the most sacred site outside of the Holy Land. It centers around the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle and is probably the largest church in the world. |
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Santa Prassede A hidden gem near Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Prassede is a 9th-century basilica with glorious Byzantine mosaics. Also here is a piece of the scourging column of Christ and other relics. |
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Santa Sabina Santa Sabina is Rome's best remaining example of an early Christian church. It dates from 422, and its original wooden doors are still intact. |
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Santo Stefano Rotondo Dedicated to St. Stephen the first martyr, this is one of the largest and oldest round churches in existence. Dating from the 5th century, it is a fascinating church that reflects both local and foreign influences. |
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Sistine Chapel This world-famous chapel painted by Michelangelo is still used for papal elections. Learn some history and explore a complete photo gallery of its art in our article on the Sistine Chapel. |
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Vatican Museums The Vatican Museums are among the best in the world, with treasures including classical sculptures, early Christian artifacts, ancient Egyptian mummies and masterpieces of Renaissance art. |
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