​Originally built on the site where St. Peter was martyred and buried.

The early Christian church built by Constantine lasted many years. Between 1506 and 1626 it was entirely reconstructed by the masters of the Italian Renaissance: Michelangelo with its dome and Pietà, Maderno’s façade, Giotto’s mosaic, Bernini’s canopy and square.

​The TREASURE ROOMS house a collection of relics, vestments and precious object. Below the church are remains of the ancient basilica, the tomb of St.Peter and those of the popes.

​Built during the time of Constantine, it has often been restored and transformed and was completely rebuilt by Borromini in 1650.

The basilica is the cathedral of Rome and the mother church of the catholic world. The central bronze gate in the portico is from the ancient Curia of the Roman Forum.

There’s  a fresco attributed to Giotto and, across the square is the SCALA SANTA (The Holy staircase) believed to be from Pilate’s House and which was trod on by Christ in Jerusalem. The original marble steps are covered with wood and are climbed by Roman catholics on their knees.

The largest Roman church dedicated to the Virgin Mary dates from the time of Sixtus III (432-40).
Major restorations and changes are from the middle of the 16th century although from the 13th to the 14th centuries the portico was added the campanile (the highest of the roman campaniles) was built and the tribuna enlarged.
Not to be missed are the precious 5th century mosaics (36 panels above the architrave and those in the triumphal arch), the relic of the holy crib, the Sforza Chapel by Michelangelo but built by Giacomo della Porta.
It is said that the gold used for the ceiling was the first brought back from America by Columbus.

It is traditionally believed that this basilica was created by Emperor Constantine's mother around 320 AD to hold the relics of the Holy Cross brought back from the Holy Land by St. Helena, Constantine’s mother.

The church was converted from a wing of the nearby imperial palace. Restored in 1144, when the Romanesque bell  tower was added, and rebuilt in in 1743.

It contains two beautiful water stoops, a tomb by Iacopo Sansovino, a fresco by Antoniazzo Romano, a magnificent mosaic in the Chapel of St. Helena. In the Chapel of the Relics there are fragments from the Cross, a nail and two thorns from the Crown.

​Originally dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul, the basilica was buit in the early 4th century over the cemetery  where the remains of the apostles had temporarily laid. It is one of the basilicas built by Emperor Constantine.

It later became the shrine for Saint Sebastian, a roman soldier martyred under Emperor Diocletian, who was buried in the church catacombs (see Saint Sebastian catacombs).

The main church of the Jesuits was begun by Vignola in 1568, while the façade and cupola are by Giacomo Della Porta. 

The church has an incredible baroque ceiling by Baciccia.
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Magnificent is the chapel in lapis lazuli of St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuit order, who is buried under the altar. 

The Church date back to the 15th century, the interior was remodeled during the 18th century.

Noteworthy are the high altar by Bernini, the fresco of Isaiah by Raphael , the Madonna dei Pellegrini by Caravaggio, and the sculpture by Sansovino of the Madonna del Parto.

Already existing during the 12th century.

The reconstruction begun by Guerra in 1612 was continued by Borromini who is responsible for the dome, the bell tower and the apse.

The two angels on either side of the apse are by Bernini.

Begun by Della Porta in 1591, and continued by Maderno in 1608, who also designed the dome, which is the second highest and largest in diameter after  St. Peter’s.

The church contains frescoes by Domenichino and is known as the scene of one of the acts from the opera La Tosca  

Built in 1516 with design by Raphael and dedicated to the guild of goldsmiths.