Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura

The only one of Rome’s major churches to have suffered bomb damage in WWII, the Basilica of St Lawrence Outside the Walls is one of Rome’s four patriarchal basilicas. An atmospheric, tranquil place, it’s a hotchpotch of rebuilds and restorations. The original church was constructed in the 4th century over St Lawrence’s burial place, but rebuilt 200 years later. Subsequently a nearby 5th-century church was incorporated, resulting in the church you see today. The nave, portico and much of the decoration date to the 13th century. Highlights are the Cosmati floor and the frescoed portico, depicting events from St Lawrence’s life. The remains of St Lawrence and St Stephen are in the church crypt beneath the high altar. A pretty barrel-vaulted cloister contains inscriptions and sarcophagi and leads to the Catacombe di Santa Ciriaca, where St Lawrence was initially buried.