Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran
Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran
The Lateran
st john lateran
Next to St. Peter’s Basilica, the Lateran is the most important church in Rome. San Giovanni in Laterano – or St. John Lateran – is the Episcopal Church of Rome and here you find the Holy Staircase – the Scala Santa – and also the Holy Gate – the Porta Santa. Find out here what it all means!
My Rating:
The positives:
There is more to see than meets the eye. In addition to the world-famous Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, there are other lesser-known gems of Rome to see; such as the baptistery and the papal chapel Sancta Sanctorum.
The negatives:
There is hardly any information board with explanations. Due to the tightened security check, you can't just go to church "spontaneously". Glass bottles and aerosol cans are prohibited and must be thrown away for a visit - just like at the airport. This security check can lead to queues.
Top Tip:
Take your time, get the audio guide and a ticket for the cloister and the Sancta Sanctorum chapel (but that costs a bit)!
Last Modified: 29.02.2024 | Céline & Susi
st john lateran
Tickets
Ticket & Audio guide
EUR 10Ticket for the monastery, the chapel Sancta Sanctorum, the baptistery and the Scala Sancta
Buy Ticket
The details
at a glance
What is there
to see?
The Entire Complex
The Lateran comprises several building complexes, not just the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
Additionally, there is the Lateran Palace, which, unfortunately, cannot be visited, but it adjoins the basilica, much like the cloister. Behind it lies the Baptistry, which is a separate building with its own entrance, as well as the obelisk.
The Papal Chapel – the Sancta Sanctorum – and the Holy Stairs – the Scala Santa – are situated on the opposite side of the street.
As a preliminary note: The Lateran Basilica is the Cathedral of Rome – not St. Peter’s Basilica. Therefore, this cathedral serves as the seat of the Bishop of Rome, in other words, the Pope.
The LATERAN
THE BASILICA
There are hundreds of churches in Rome, but only one is considered the mother of all churches: the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
As mater et caput (“Mother and Head”), the Lateran Basilica holds a higher rank in the Catholic Church than St. Peter’s Basilica. It was built in the 4th century but has been repeatedly destroyed, plundered, and rebuilt over the centuries. Its present appearance dates back to the 17th century. Although the facade may appear modest from the outside, the church radiates in baroque splendor on the inside.
Of the five entrances, you will rarely use one: the entrance all the way to the right, the Holy Door (Porta Santa). It is only opened in holy years. The central door is not always open either: the original bronze door dates back to the 5th century and was taken from the Curia Julia (Roman Forum).
Standing in the middle of the nave of the church, you will see the main altar in front of you with its Gothic-style baldachin. Allegedly, since 1367, it has housed the heads of Paul and Peter, the patron saints of Rome. Behind it lies the choir, with a magnificent mosaic from the 19th century. To the left of the main altar, you can access the cloister, and to the right, the treasury.
The LATERAN
THE CLOISTER
The cloister, dating back to 1232 and located within the monastery area of the church, is considered one of the most beautiful in Rome for good reason. The walkways are enclosed by twisted columns adorned with mosaics. It’s one of the few places in Rome that you can probably still visit without crowds. A hidden spot where it’s worth closing your eyes for a moment and feeling the tranquillity.
The Lateran
THE TREASURY
Upon entering the treasury, one can understand why the Vatican is said to possess unimaginable wealth. Gilded shrines, crowns, and chalices glisten within the display cases. In display case number 1 (to the right from the entrance), there is even a reliquary of St. John the Baptist!
SANCTA SANCTORUM AND
THE HOLY STAIRS
Sancta Sanctorum translates to “the Most Holy.” It was the Pope’s main chapel, where the most important relics were kept. “Non est in toto sanctior orbe locus” is the inscription on the altar, meaning no place in the whole world is holier than this.
To reach the Papal Chapel, there are 28 holy steps known as the Scala Santa, which one must ascend while kneeling (there are stairs for non-praying visitors on both sides of the Holy Stairs).
It is said that the Scala Santa was brought from Jerusalem to Rome in the 4th century and that Jesus shed blood on it during his crucifixion journey. And yes, one can feel a sense of holiness in this place. Believers pray while kneeling on the steps, slowly ascending one step at a time to draw nearer to their God. It is a moving experience. Because this staircase is so sacred, photography is not allowed.
The LATERAN
THE OBELISK
On your way from the Basilica to the Baptistry, you will pass by an obelisk. It’s worth giving it attention and time as well: among the 13 obelisks in Rome, it is the largest of them all. This 32-meter-tall, 500-tonne obelisk originated in Egypt, arrived in Rome in the 4th century, and was initially erected in the Circus Maximus. It wasn’t until 1588 that it was moved to its current location.
The Lateran
THE BAPTISTERY
Next to the mother of all churches and the largest obelisk stands the oldest baptistery in the world. Even though the interior was completely renovated in the 17th century, you can still see some mosaics from the 5th, 6th, and 7th centuries in the chapels built on the sides.
The Lateran
A bit of history
The name “Lateran” derives from the Laterani family, one of the most powerful families in Rome until the early 4th century. Today, the entire district bears this name. This area also includes three of Rome’s seven hills: Quirinal, Viminal, and Celio. It was Emperor Constantine who confiscated their land and had the first Christian basilica built here: the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
Today, only a single column remains of this basilica. It burned down twice. In the 5th century, it was repeatedly plundered by the Germans, and in the 9th century, it was heavily damaged by an earthquake. However, it was rebuilt each time.
During the last renovation, Francesco Borromini designed the interior in 1646. The reason for this was the Holy Year of 1650. The walls on the sides of the nave are equipped with niches that hold space for 12 large statues representing the 12 apostles, created under the supervision of Gianlorenzo Bernini.
It was only a hundred years later (1736) that the main facade was crafted by Alessandro Galilei. The 15 x seven-meter-high statues made of travertine adorn the church’s main front. In the center is Jesus, flanked by John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. The remaining statues depict other influential church fathers.
The Basilica of St. John Lateran is one of the seven pilgrimage churches. In the Catholic Church, it holds a higher rank than St. Peter’s Basilica. It bears the honorary title “Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput” (Mother and Head of all the churches of the city of Rome and the world). Originally dedicated to Christ the Redeemer (as seen in the facade inscription “Christo Salvatori”), it was later dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
Until the 15th century, the Lateran Palace served as the residence of the Popes. The move of the Popes to the Vatican was also the reason for the redesign of St. Peter’s Basilica (1506-1626) into the structure we know today. As early as 1377, the year of the Popes’ return from Avignon, the Vatican gained importance as the Pope’s residence but was not yet considered the primary seat. The Popes were still crowned at the Lateran until the 19th century.
Anyone entering the Lateran Basilica and its affiliated buildings is on extraterritorial ground, meaning Vatican territory. This was established on February 11, 1929, as part of the so-called Lateran Treaties. These treaties were signed between the Holy See and the then Kingdom of Italy (under Mussolini). They secured the political and territorial sovereignty of the Vatican and ended the ongoing conflict between Italy and the Vatican. Among other provisions, this agreement also sealed the size of Vatican City at 0.44 km2. These treaties are named after the Lateran Palace where the signing took place.
Official Lateran website (IT): www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_giovanni
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2019 – 2024
With the support of Susanne Vukan