San Paolo Fuori le Mura

St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls is one of the four great basilicas of Rome

San Paolo Fuori le Mura (St. Paul's Outside the Walls)
Viale di S. Paolo/Via Ostiense 186
tel. +39-06-6988-0800
www.vatican.va
Open daily 7am-7pm

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The church of San Paolo Fuori Le Mura (St. Paul Without the Walls).Another of Rome’s four grand grand pilgrimage basilicas, St. Paul Outside the Walls used to be translated as "St. Paul Without the Walls"—a name that, as a kid living in Rome, I got a real kick out of and was therefore sorely disappointed to discover it wasn't an open-air church.

Sadly, the original basilica burned down in 1873, but it has been faithfully reconstructed using as many elements as possible from the original structure.

The mosaics in teh apse of San Paolo Fuori Le Mura, Rome
The mosaics in the apse.The Byzantine doors, with incised bronze panels from the 11th century, were badly damaged in the fire, but survived to be preserved on the inside of the west wall, between the central and south portals.

The altar is said to mark the spot of St. Paul's burial (an AD 1st-century tomb discovered underneath would seem to support this tradition), and sheltering the altar is a late–13th century ciborium by Arnolfo di Cambio.

The marble candela in San Paolo fuori le Mura, Rome
The marble candelaNearby is a weird, giant marble candlestick carved in the 12th century with a whirl of medieval scenes.

The restored apse mosaics were executed by Venetian craftsmen in the 1220s.

The one part of the church to survive the fire almost intact is still its greatest draw, the lovely and peaceful early–13th century cloisters.

The cloisters' columns are a cornucopia of variety, many twisted or paired and inlaid with gems, mosaics, or colored marble chips in glittering patterns.

Tips

Planning your day: You can wander the church in a quick 20–30 minutes—though budget another 20 minutes each way just to get out here—get the most out of the journey by taking the bus either there or back and stopping halfway at the fascinating Centrale Montemartini museum.
Book a tour: If you prefer a private guided tour that includes a stop at St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, book one via our partner site Viator.com.

• Skip the Line: Vatican in One Day
Mass: You can attend services at San Paolo Fuori Le Mura daily at 7am, 8am, 9am, 10:30am, and 6pm (plus Sundays at 12:30pm). Want to hear monks singing? Lauds are sung in the cloisters at 6:30am, vespers at 5pm in the church, and complines at 9pm in the cloisters.

The other great basilicas: St. Peter's, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major
Churches in Rome

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This material was last updated February 2011. All information was accurate at the time.

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San Paolo Fuori le Mura

St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls is one of the four great basilicas of Rome

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