San Paolo Fuori le Mura ★

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

One 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 1823, but it has been faithfully reconstructed using as many elements as possible from the original structure.

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.

Nearby 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.

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