In marble halls
ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved
Do not use without permission.
The main entrance of San Giovanni in Laterano. This entrance to the church is a late Baroque creation by Alessandro Galilei. Work began in 1735 when Pope Clement XII placed the first stone, and then finished the following year.
The Basilica of Saint John Lateran has the full name of Papal Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (in Italian: Arcibasilica papale di San Giovanni in Laterano). The complete name of the church, in Latin, is Archibasilica Sanctissimi Salvatoris et Sanctorum Iohannes Baptista et Evangelista in Laterano. It ranks first among the four Papal Basilicas (major basilicas) in Rome since it is the cathedra (seat) of the bishop of Rome. It also holds the title of ecumenical mother church for Roman Catholics.
The church has old roots, dating back to 324 - but you can't really see that in the current building. It was rebuilt several times under different popes - and the most prominent style in the church today is the Baroque. Francesco Borromini worked much with the interior of the church, on behalf of Pope Innocent X, in the middle of the 17th century.
The president of France is ex officio the first and only honorary canon of the basilica - an inheritance from the kings of France who held that title since Henri IV (who died in 1610).
In marble halls
ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved
Do not use without permission.
The main entrance of San Giovanni in Laterano. This entrance to the church is a late Baroque creation by Alessandro Galilei. Work began in 1735 when Pope Clement XII placed the first stone, and then finished the following year.
The Basilica of Saint John Lateran has the full name of Papal Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (in Italian: Arcibasilica papale di San Giovanni in Laterano). The complete name of the church, in Latin, is Archibasilica Sanctissimi Salvatoris et Sanctorum Iohannes Baptista et Evangelista in Laterano. It ranks first among the four Papal Basilicas (major basilicas) in Rome since it is the cathedra (seat) of the bishop of Rome. It also holds the title of ecumenical mother church for Roman Catholics.
The church has old roots, dating back to 324 - but you can't really see that in the current building. It was rebuilt several times under different popes - and the most prominent style in the church today is the Baroque. Francesco Borromini worked much with the interior of the church, on behalf of Pope Innocent X, in the middle of the 17th century.
The president of France is ex officio the first and only honorary canon of the basilica - an inheritance from the kings of France who held that title since Henri IV (who died in 1610).