Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls, Minor basilica in Tiburtino district, Rome, Italy
The Basilica of Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls stands at the start of the Via Tiburtina in Rome's Tiburtino district. Its brick facade, rebuilt after 1943, has three arched windows and a 13th-century portico of six reused columns with medieval Ionic capitals. Inside, two churches are joined: the raised 6th-century Pelagian presbytery and the 13th-century Honorian nave of 22 columns, with a Cosmatesque floor and a baldachin over the altar.
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.
The basilica is one of Rome's Seven Pilgrim Churches, visited for a plenary indulgence in Holy Years. Its name comes from its position outside the ancient walls, at the start of the Via Tiburtina. The parish, established on 4 July 1709, has been run by Capuchin friars since 1855, and the vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome holds the honorary title of abbot commendatory of San Lorenzo.
The basilica stands at the start of the extra-urban stretch of the Via Tiburtina, beside the Verano Cemetery, and is served by the San Lorenzo tram and bus stops. The entrance is through the 13th-century portico; the raised presbytery of the Pelagian church is reached by steps from the central nave. The floor of the Honorian nave is lower than the presbytery, so expect a change of level between the two halves of the building.
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.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,669 contributors worldwide.
