Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Rome Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati

Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati

A fortified medieval basilica on the Caelian Hill preserves extraordinary frescoes and one of Rome's most beautiful hidden cloisters.

Rome, Italy

Added By
Jan Claus Di Blasio
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Frescoes in the basilica chapel.   Pierfelice Licitra/cc by 3.0
Exterior of the basilica.   Lalupa/public domain
The graceful inner and secret courtyard of the basilica.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Frescoes in the Chapel of Saint Sylvester.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
A detail of the Chapel of Saint Sylvester.   Miguel Hermoso/cc by-sa 4.0
Frescoes in the Chapel of Saint Sylvester.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
  Cloud Winchester / Atlas Obscura User
  Cloud Winchester / Atlas Obscura User
  Cloud Winchester / Atlas Obscura User
  Cloud Winchester / Atlas Obscura User
  Cloud Winchester / Atlas Obscura User
  Cloud Winchester / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When approaching the Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati ("Four Crowned Martyrs") on the Caelian Hill in Rome, a bulky, thick-walled structure emerges on the way to the Lateran that looks more like a fortress than a church. Its history has indeed been tumultuous yet it's miraculously preserved some of Rome's most secret and impressive treasures: Saint Sylvester's Chapel, the Gothic Hall, and a meditative, secret cloister that you might very likely have all to yourself.

The basilica's name in itself is something of a hagiographical mystery. Were its four crowned martyrs four soldiers in the age of Diocletian who refused to sacrifice to Asclepius, the god of medicine? Or were they the five stonemasons (what happened to the fifth?) from Pannonia who refused to carve a statue of the god? Or were they four less exotic and more local martyrs from nearby Albano? In any case, what we know for certain is their crown was that of martyrdom, reason enough for their relics to be venerated in a private site known as Titulus Aemiliane that dates back to the age of Pope Miltiades in the 4th century.

Only the original apse and some underground archaeological excavations can be dated all the way back to this period, while the rest of the church was rebuilt in the 6th and 9th centuries. At this time, under Pope Leo IV, its Carolingian architecture would have been remarkable and a popular stop on the road to the Lateran Palace, the see of the papacy in those centuries.

The basilica was then ravaged by the Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard during the great sack of 1084, after which its size was reduced by Pope Paschal II and a Benedictine monastery was added. Its fortress-like appearance and odd proportions we owe to Cardinal Conti, who turned it into a sanctuary for the popes during their endless conflict with the Hohenstaufen Emperors in the troubled 13th century. Its fortified structure still survives and the massive 9th-century bell tower over the main entrance gate is the oldest of its kind in Rome.

From the main gate, the two open courtyards correspond to the actual size of the original basilica before its 11th-century reconstruction. To this age we owe one of the church's greatest treasures, the frescoed Chapel of Saint Sylvester. A strong political statement of the age, the frescos depicts the idealised relationship between Pope Sylvester and the Christian Emperor Constantine, the key players in that medieval forged document known as the Donation of Constantine, in which the Roman Emperor, in moving his capital to Constantinople, had supposedly given temporal power over the West to the popes of Rome. The vivid images depict the apocryphal stories of Constantine's conversion to the church, and would have served as a strong reminder to the rebellious Hohenstaufen emperors of their rightful place in Western European politics.

In later times, during the age of the papacy's exile in Avignon, France, the basilica fell into a state of disrepair. It was finally restored in the 16th century and since then it has been entrusted to the Augustinian nuns. The second great treasure can be accessed from the church's left nave: This is the beautiful cloister dating back from the early 1200s. This Romanesque Eden with its portico, its painted arches, its spolia, the chapel of Saint Barbara with its medieval frescoes, greenery, and central fountain make this one of the most secluded and quiet spots in the city.

The third great treasure of the basilica is the so-called Gothic Hall. Its 13th-century frescoes were discovered in 2002 under a layer of plaster that might have been added during the Black Plague and were intended to decorate one of the main halls in Conti's Palazzo. This was probably the hall where justice was administered and it's a rare testimony of the Gothic Age's influence on Roman art, with its representation of the months of the year, the seasons, the liberal arts, the virtues, and much more.

Related Tags

Basilicas Churches Ancient Fortresses Christianity Art Medieval Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

Guided visits of the Gothic Hall are usually scheduled two to three days per month and must be booked on the website. Saint Sylvester's Chapel can be accessed by paying a 1 euro fee to the Augustinian nun who sits behind a drum. The cloister can be accessed from a door in the left nave of the church for a small fee. The basilica, cloister, and chapel are all open from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. The cloister is closed on Sundays.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

LatiumMirabile

Edited By

mirlacca, Meg, Cloud Winchester

  • mirlacca
  • Meg
  • Cloud Winchester

Published

September 10, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati
20 Via dei Santi Quattro
Rome, 00184
Italy
41.888224, 12.498225
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Sisinnius Fresco in the Basilica San Clemente

Rome, Italy

miles away

Basilica di San Clemente

Rome, Italy

miles away

Ludus Magnus

Rome, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rome

Rome

Italy

Places 144
Stories 24

Nearby Places

Sisinnius Fresco in the Basilica San Clemente

Rome, Italy

miles away

Basilica di San Clemente

Rome, Italy

miles away

Ludus Magnus

Rome, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rome

Rome

Italy

Places 144
Stories 24

Related Stories and Lists

The 11 Most Interesting Places to Visit Near the Colosseum for Curious Travelers

List

By Atlas Obscura

Related Places

  • The apocalypse scene in the central apse

    Anagni, Italy

    Cripta di San Magno

    The “Sistine Chapel” of the Middle Ages merges 11th-century science and religion in wondrous hues.

  • The Hanging Church.

    Cairo, Egypt

    The Hanging Church

    Standing atop 2nd-century Roman ruins, this church is one of the oldest and most iconic in Old Cairo.

  • Basilica ruins.

    Selçuk, Turkey

    Basilica of St. John

    This crumbling medieval basilica once attracted pilgrims by the thousands to collect a miraculous dust that formed above the saint's tomb.

  • Inside the church

    Atotonilco, Mexico

    Santuario de Atotonilco

    The walls and ceilings of the "Mexican Sistine Chapel" are almost completely covered with mural, sculpture, inscriptions and oil paintings.

  • Cottanello, Italy

    Eremo di San Cataldo (Hermitage of Saint Cataldus)

    When occupying Nazi troops detonated a mine below, medieval frescoes were revealed in this small cliff-side hermitage.

  • Mercogliano, Italy

    Montevergine Sanctuary

    During World War II, the Shroud of Turin was secreted to this remote southern Italian complex.

  • Part of the fresco.

    Beram, Croatia

    Svetište Sv. Marije na Škriljinah (The Sanctuary of St. Mary of the Rocks)

    Inside this small chapel tucked away in the forest is one of the most well-preserved Danse Macabre frescos.

  • GS 13 Runestone.

    Gävle, Sweden

    Gs 13 Runestone

    A Viking man's tribute to his brother stands in Gävle's oldest church.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.