Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls, Minor basilica in Tiburtino district, Rome, Italy.
The Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls in Rome is a Romanesque church building featuring a portico with six decorated columns, three arched windows, and a Cosmatesque floor. The interior extends about 90 meters and contains a crypt accessible through the Chapel of Saint Tarcisius, where medieval inscriptions and ancient sculptures can be seen.
Emperor Constantine ordered the original church built in 330 next to Saint Lawrence's tomb, while Pope Pelagius II added a second church in the late 6th century. These two structures were later joined together to form the building that stands today.
This basilica ranks among Rome's Seven Pilgrim Churches and houses the tombs of two venerated saints. Visitors can see these burial sites and understand why this place has mattered so much to believers across the centuries.
The basilica sits next to the large Verano Cemetery and is easily accessible on foot. Visitors should know that the crypt is reached through a narrow passageway, so comfortable shoes are helpful for exploring the space.
The current structure resulted from merging two separate churches in the 13th century, when Pope Honorius III reversed the orientation of the older building to create the sanctuary. This unusual combination of two structures is rarely seen in Rome and gives the basilica its distinctive architectural character.
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