Basilica of Saint Sabina, Minor basilica on Aventine Hill, Rome, Italy.
The Basilica of Saint Sabina is a church on the Aventine Hill displaying the simple elegance of early Christian design. The interior is brightened by tall windows and features rows of columns that draw your eye through the entire length of the space.
It was built in the early 400s as one of Rome's oldest Christian churches and has kept its original structure to this day. Over the centuries minor changes were made, but the basic framework has remained essentially unchanged.
The basilica is named after an early Christian martyr and draws visitors drawn to Rome's spiritual roots. You can sense a connection to Christianity's earliest days through the simple design and thoughtful details throughout the space.
It is easiest to visit on foot from the Aventine, where the church sits on a quiet plaza. The large wooden doors at the entrance are clearly visible and the interior spaces are arranged on one level, making access straightforward.
The wooden doors date from the fifth century and display biblical scenes with impressive carved detail. These early artworks are among the rare surviving examples of Christian craftsmanship from that era.
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