St Paul Outside the Walls — San Paolo fuori le Mura

The Basilica of St Paul is one of the four major basilicas of Rome and an important place of pilgrimage. It is one of the churches known as “outside the walls”, meaning it stands outside the ramparts of Rome.

Getting there : Basilica San Paolo metro station or bus lines 23, 128, 761, 766…

Address : Piazzale di San Paolo, 1

Opening hours : every day from 7:00 to 18:30. The cloister is open from 9:00 to 17:30.

Ticket prices: free for the basilica; charge for the cloister (€4 full price, €3 reduced).

Website : Official website of the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls

The Basilica of St Paul was built on the site of the saint’s tomb; he was beheaded in the time of Nero. A small building already stood there when the emperor Theodosius, at the end of the 4th century, ordered the construction of a vast five-aisled basilica. It was the largest church in the world until St Peter’s Basilica was built. Embellished and enriched over the centuries, it was almost entirely destroyed in 1823 by a terrible fire.

It was rebuilt to the original plan, but most of the decoration is neoclassical, with a few elements of the old basilica that could be reused.

The exterior

The Basilica of St Paul is preceded by a very large colonnaded portico, built at the beginning of the 20th century. It surrounds an inner courtyard with, at its centre, a statue of St Paul holding the sword, the symbol of his martyrdom.

The pediment is decorated with a mosaic showing, at the top, Christ surrounded by St Peter and St Paul.

The interior

The interior of the Basilica of St Paul is impressive and monumental, at 131 metres long, 65 metres wide and 29 metres high. The five aisles are separated by 80 monolithic granite columns. A gilded stucco ceiling, added after the fire, covers the aisles.

A long mosaic frieze of medallions representing all the popes since St Peter runs around the basilica. The medallion of the current pope is lit.

The mosaic on the triumphal arch separating the nave from the choir was saved, restored and reinstalled after the fire. It was made in the 5th century and depicts a passage from the Apocalypse of St John: the twenty-four elders prostrate themselves before Christ and prepare to lay down the 24 golden crowns they hold. The Evangelists are shown above, with St Peter and St Paul below.

The apse mosaic was remade after the fire and shows Christ blessing, surrounded by saints.

The altar is surmounted by a very fine Gothic ciborium of the 13th century, spared by the fire. Beneath it you will find the tomb of St Paul, reached by a staircase.

Also spared by the fire, you can admire a very fine Paschal candelabrum of the 13th century, carved with figures and foliage.

You can also see the Holy Door, closed by a Byzantine door made at the beginning of the 11th century in Constantinople.

It is decorated with 54 engraved panels on the theme of the life of Christ and the apostles.

The cloister

Reached from the left aisle, the cloister is one of the wonders of the basilica. Built at the beginning of the 13th century and spared by the fire, it is remarkable for its Cosmatesque columns (inlaid with small pieces of marble).

A visit not to be missed (paid access, but a very reasonable price).