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Basilica Of St. Paul Outside The Walls

Tomb of Saint Paul

The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls was built in the 4th century on the site where the bones of the Catholic saint St. Paul are buried, and is one of the four Major Basilicas in the Catholic Church. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1823 and is decorated with beautiful mosaics inside and out.

The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls began in the 4th century AD on the very site where the bones of the Catholic saint St. Paul are buried, outside the city of Rome, hence the name Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. The church is one of the four Major Basilicas in the Catholic Church and has been selected as a World Heritage Site.

The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, or Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura, was built in honor of St. Paul, and a Statue of Saint Paul is placed in front of the main entrance of the church. From the courtyard you can see the mosaic frescoes on the facade, which is a major feature of the basilica.

Inside the Magnificent Church Nave, 80 Corinthian Columns divide the interior space into a nave and four aisles with a transept with portraits of more than two hundred popes painted on the walls. The main altar in the center is the place where St. Paul was buried, St. Paul's Crypt and the chains used to bind him in the 1st century AD are both kept here.

The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls is about 140 meters long and is second only to St. Peter’s Basilica in size in Rome. The Mosaic Apse above the Main Altar was created in the 13th century and shows Jesus Christ flanked by the Apostles St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Andrew, and St. Luke.

Manywhere Trivia:
Although St. Paul is not one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, he also has a very important place in Catholicism, and the city of São Paulo in Brazil is named after him.

In July 1823, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls was almost burned to the ground after a tragic fire caused by negligent workers. The church that you can see today was rebuilt after the disaster and exhibits relics that survived the disaster such as The 14th Century Crucifix, statues of the Virgin and Child, stone candlesticks, etc. In the open space outside the building, there are also original relics such as Stone Pillars and Carvings that Survived the Disaster.