Guided tour of the Basilica of Santa Pudenziana and Excavations

The structure of the Basilica of Santa Pudenziana, by the will of Constantine, derives from the transformation into a place of worship of an ancient 2nd century thermal bath built on the ruins of the house of Senator Pudente who hosted the Apostles Peter and Paul, thus becoming a Domus Ecclesia "Domestic Church" with the Titulus Pastoris of 154 AD. Subsequently it was enlarged and known as Ecclesia Pudentiana, as written in the 5th century mosaic.

Via Urbana 160 – 00184 Roma

Price

€ 10,00
Adult

Duration

90 minutes

Gallery

Description

In the 16th century, Cardinal Caetani gave the church its current Baroque structure, building a vaulted roof that replaced the old wooden trussed roof.

He built an elliptical dome above the presbytery and transformed the two aisles into chapels, which were originally the walkways of the ancient baths around the basins that are currently located under the floor of the central nave.

Advantages

  • Guaranteed access by reservation
  • Official guide in the available languages: Italian and English
  • Receive your tickets by email

Information and welcome

Full ticket + 18 years € 10.00

Reduced ticket € 6.00

  • Minors between the ages of 6 and 17
  • Groups made up of students belonging to schools and institutes, first and second grade (aged between 6 and 17 years)
  • Students of archeology, architecture, art history and cultural heritage up to the age of 25, who present themselves with adequate certification
  • Priests, men and women religious, seminarians and novices, who present themselves with adequate certification

The visit includes: Guided tour of the Basilica, Access to the excavations and the Marian Oratory.

  • Access for children and teenagers (0 -17 years) only if accompanied.
  • It is possible to take pictures.
  • Languages available for the guided tours: Italian and English Languages

Visits on request: reservations for groups or requests for special visits write to incoming@orp.org

How to get there by public transport

The site is a 10-minute walk from Termini Station:

  • Metro A (Termini stop);
  • Metro B (Colosseum stop).

The site is a 5-minute walk from the S. Maria Maggiore stop

  • buses (16, 714, 70, 71, 75, 360, 649).

Map

Points of interest

The value of experience

Santa Pudenziana preserves the oldest of the great apsidal mosaics of Christianity dating back to 410-417 AD, and which served as a model for the Byzantine mosaics of the Pantocrator of the following centuries.

The subterrain

For the first time in tens of years, the Archaeological Excavations underneath the Basilica are accessible - although with a restriction to small guided groups - with the remains of the 1st century house of Pudente where Peter and Paul lived. A unique experience of immersion in ancient Rome!

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Excavations of over 1000 square meters contain other testimonies up to the second century. B.C.

Among these finds, the remains of two floors of an ancient Roman Insula from the second century are worthy of note, with some of the rooms used as a shop on the ground floor

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Ancient Marian Oratory

Another jewel preserved in the premises of the Basilica is the ancient Marian Oratory, embellished with frescoes from the 11th-12th century. In particular, the fresco representing the baptism of Pudente's family by St. Peter.

Mausoleum of Card. Enrico Caetani

In one of the side chapels Cardinal Enrico Caetani built his and his family's mausoleum, in particular of his brother Onorato, one of the leaders of the papal troops in the battle of Lepanto. The Caetani Chapel is one of the jewels of Baroque art in Rome

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In addition to mosaics and a beautiful inlaid marble floor, the chapel is embellished with a Carrara marble high relief representing the Adoration of the Magi and dominates the altar.

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