Lateran, Religious building complex in Monti district, Rome, Italy.
The Lateran is a religious complex in the Monti district of eastern Rome, consisting of several interconnected buildings: a palace, a basilica, a baptistry, and a university. The different structures cluster around a central square and offer access to inner courtyards and chapels used for worship and pilgrimage visits.
Constantine the Great transferred the property to the Bishop of Rome in the fourth century after it had belonged to the Lateranus family. Over the following centuries, the site hosted five major church councils between 1123 and 1517 that shaped key teachings for the Catholic Church.
The complex still holds the title of official seat of the Bishop of Rome and carries the designation "mother of all churches in the city and the world". Pilgrims from around the globe visit to honor this central role in Catholic tradition and to walk through spaces that mark the beginning of papal authority in the city.
The complex opens daily through the main entrance at Piazza San Giovanni, with mornings offering quieter conditions. Guided tours run in several languages, but walking around on your own lets you explore the grounds at your own pace.
The attached Scala Sancta consists of twenty-eight marble steps that faithful pilgrims climb on their knees to practice a particular form of devotion. The staircase is believed to come from the palace of Pilate in Jerusalem and was brought to Rome in the ninth century.
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