St. Clemente’s Basilica in Rome is one of the most amazing churches in the Eternal City. Travel through time to discover centuries of Roman history: this Church surely deserves a guided visit!
St. Clemente’s Basilica, with its juxtaposition of levels and architectural styles from different historical periods, brilliantly shows Rome’s continuous importance and role throughout the centuries. From outside we face a 12th century’s Church, but down below you will also find an IV century Church and an even older Roman Mint and House from the I century.
The St. Clemente’s Basilica we see today was built in the 12th century, on top of what remained of a previous building. Older, deeper layers, were only discovered during excavations which took place in the 1860s.
Let’s start from below. The very first building created on this spot in the I century A.D., which lays now in the deepest level, was one of the many mints of Rome, the place where Romans created coins and marked them to help regulate consistent coin weights across the empire.
Separated by a narrow passage, in the II century A.D. Romans built a “Domus Romana“, one of the Roman houses of the noblemen built inside the perimeter of the city of Rome. It was created on two levels: some of the frescoes decorating it are still visible.
In the III century part of the house was converted into a “Mithraeum”, a sanctuary dedicated to the God Mithras. Many passages were closed, and a shrine was put there, together with a niche to host a representation of the God. The room was enriched with a vault decorated with stars, resembling a cave, as the cult of Mithras prescribed.
After around 100 years, brutal destruction transformed the building once again, converting it into a Christian Sanctuary, what historians call “Titulus Clementi”. What happened in this sanctuary was the first form of Christian liturgies, something that now happens in Churches throughout Italy.
The site grown in importance and was finally transformed into a St. Clemente’s Basilica in the IV century, dedicated to Pope Clement, one of the first martyrs of Rome together with Peter and Paul. An apsis, three naves and two rows of columns were its main features, very similar to that of the XII century’s one. The Basilica was enriched with precious frescoes, depicting Pope Leone IV (IX century) and stories of two saints, Alessio and Clement. In 1938 archaeologists even discovered a series of catacombs, while recent excavations brought up one more fresco, showing the Virgin Mary and Child.
Visiting St. Clement’s Basilica is a huge opportunity to travel through time and discover stories, anecdotes, and pieces of art of Roman history. If you want to discover the best Churches in the Eternal City, check out our Walking Tour of Christian Churches in Rome: a private guide will guide you to St. Clement’s Basilica, the Church of the Four Crowned Martyrs and St. John’s in Lateran!
