Discover Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura

The basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura as we know it today is the result of the fusion of two distinct churches, one built at the end of the 6th and the other at the beginning of the 13th century, around the tomb of Lawrence, a deacon of Spanish origin martyred under the emperor Valerian and buried in the cemetery of Ciriaca along the Via Tiburtina.

It also holds the relics of Saint Stephen the protomartyr, which make it one of the most venerated in Rome, and it is included in the restricted number of the five patriarchal basilicas — the oldest and most important of the city.

The Emperor Constantine was here first. In the 4th century he had the tomb of Saint Lawrence arranged and embellished and built a great cemeterial basilica near it, the basilica maior.

Then Pelagius II built over the grave. At the end of the 6th century he had a new church raised, with three naves and practicable galleries, matronei, which completely enclosed the sepulchre — the basilica minor. After the ancient basilica maior was destroyed between the 9th and 12th centuries, Clement III (1084-1100) built the cloister and began the fortification of the borgo, Laurentiopolis, that had grown up around the basilica.

Honorius III turned the whole thing round. It was Honorius III Savelli (1216-1227) who gave the complex its present appearance, erecting a new church which replaced the Pelagian basilica by incorporating it and transforming it into the presbytery after reversing its orientation. Innocent IV (1243-1254) had the presbytery raised and commissioned the papal throne.

And then it was bombed. Of the restorations over the centuries, the rather radical one by Virgilio Vespignani (1855-1864) was almost completely eliminated by the reconstructions following the bombing of 1943, which tried to give the church back its medieval appearance.

Its plan is the record of a merger. Turismo Roma records that the basilica is the result of the fusion of two distinct churches, and that the interior shows from the first glance the non-homogeneous aspect of the church, with the two basilicas — the older Pelagian one adapted as presbytery, and the Honorian one — adjacent but not perfectly in axis.

The columns are spoil and they do not match. The twenty-two columns dividing the naves are different in size and marble and perhaps come from the basilica maior.

The portico is attributed and dated. It is credited to the Vassalletto marble-workers, around 1220, supported by six columns of spoil surmounted by a trabeation with a rich polychrome frieze; to the right of the facade stands, set back, the Romanesque brick campanile of the 12th century.

The presbytery is a frame within a frame. It is framed by pavonazzetto columns on which rests a magnificent entablature with trophies of arms and vegetal motifs of the 4th century, supporting the matroneum; at the centre of the cosmatesque pavement rises the ciborium of 1148, of four porphyry shafts supporting a pyramidal covering on small trabeated columns.

Its furniture is cosmatesque. Pavement, ambones and paschal candelabrum are of the end of the 13th century, and the episcopal throne of 1254 is decorated with mosaics and polychrome marbles.

And its facade is a reconstruction. In brick with three arched windows, it was completely rebuilt after the bombings.

It was built around a grave, and never moved off it. Everything here is organised by the tomb of Lawrence, buried in the cemetery of Ciriaca along the Via Tiburtina; the Emperor Constantine had the tomb arranged and embellished and built the basilica maior beside it.

Pelagius II then enclosed the grave in a building. His church of the late 6th century had three naves with practicable galleries, matronei, and completely enclosed the sepulchre.

Honorius III solved a space problem by turning a church round. He erected a new church which replaced the Pelagian basilica by incorporating it and transforming it into the presbytery after reversing its orientation — a structural reuse rather than a demolition, and the reason the building is not in one axis.

Each pope after him raised the level. Innocent IV had the presbytery raised and commissioned the papal throne.

Its materials were taken from older buildings. The twenty-two nave columns, different in size and marble, perhaps come from the basilica maior; the portico rests on six columns of spoil; and the presbytery entablature is of the 4th century.

Its last rebuild was undoing the one before. The radical 19th-century restoration by Vespignani was almost completely eliminated by the reconstructions following the bombing of 1943, which attempted to give the church back its medieval appearance.

Is there a charge? No. It is a working parish church and one of the five patriarchal basilicas.

What are the opening hours? None are published. Turismo Roma gives only mass times and says they may vary.

What are the mass times? 08.00 and 18.30 Monday to Saturday; 09.30, 11.00 and 18.30 on Sundays and feast days.

Why are there two churches? The basilica is the fusion of two distinct churches, one of the end of the 6th century and one of the beginning of the 13th. Honorius III Savelli incorporated the earlier Pelagian basilica and transformed it into the presbytery after reversing its orientation.

Can you see the join? Yes — the interior shows from the first glance that the two basilicas are adjacent but not perfectly in axis.

Whose tomb is it built around? That of Lawrence, a deacon of Spanish origin martyred under the emperor Valerian and buried in the cemetery of Ciriaca.

What else does it hold? The relics of Saint Stephen the protomartyr, which make it one of the most venerated churches in Rome.

What is the ciborium? The canopy of 1148 over the confessio — the oldest work signed by Roman marble-workers, of four porphyry shafts supporting a pyramidal covering.

What does the apse mosaic show? Christ among Saints Paul, Stephen, Hippolytus, Peter, Lawrence and Pope Pelagius, the pope offering Christ the model of the basilica minor.

Was it damaged in the war? Yes. The bombing of 1943 led to reconstructions that almost completely eliminated Virgilio Vespignani's radical 19th-century restoration and tried to restore the medieval appearance; the facade was completely rebuilt.

Is it one of the Seven Churches? Yes — it is on the Jubilee pilgrimage circuit of the Seven Churches.

Where is it? Piazzale del Verano 3, on the Via Tiburtina.