Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura
Rom, Italy
06.05.2012
The **Historic Centre of Rome**, alongside the extraterritorial properties of the **Holy See** in the city, and the majestic **Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura** (St. Paul Outside the Walls), constitutes an unparalleled UNESCO World Heritage site. This inscription celebrates **Rome** as a living testament to over two millennia of human history, art, and religion, where the grandeur of the **Roman Empire** seamlessly merges with the spiritual heart of Christianity.
Ancient Foundations
At its core, **Rome** is an indelible monument to the power and ingenuity of the **Roman Empire**. Archaeological marvels like the **Colosseum**, inaugurated in 80 CE, stand as the largest amphitheater ever built, a symbol of Roman engineering and spectacle. Nearby, the **Roman Forum** and **Palatine Hill** reveal the political and commercial heart of ancient **Rome**. The remarkably preserved **Pantheon**, originally a temple to all gods, showcases the architectural brilliance of its massive unreinforced concrete dome.
The Papal Legacy and Extraterritorial Sites
With the rise of Christianity, especially after **Constantine the Great** legalized it in the 4th century CE, **Rome** transformed into the spiritual center of the Catholic world. While **St. Peter's Basilica** lies mostly within **Vatican City**, the site includes numerous significant papal basilicas and structures. The **Castel Sant'Angelo**, originally **Hadrian's Mausoleum**, later served as a papal fortress. A unique feature are the extraterritorial properties of the **Holy See** within **Rome**, enjoying sovereign status akin to **Vatican City**. Key examples include the **Lateran Palace** (housing the **Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran**, **Rome**'s cathedral) and the **Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore**, rich in invaluable artistic heritage and vital links to the papacy's enduring influence.
St. Paul Outside the Walls
Integral to the World Heritage site, yet separate from the core historical center, is the magnificent **Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura**. This basilica was originally founded by **Constantine the Great** over the traditional tomb of **Saint Paul** the Apostle. Though largely consumed by fire in 1823, it was meticulously rebuilt in its original plan, preserving its profound historical and spiritual essence. Its vast nave, intricate mosaics, and monumental scale testify to its importance as one of **Rome**'s four major papal basilicas and a masterpiece of Christian art.
These layers of history, from the imperial might of **Rome** to the spiritual authority of the **Holy See**, form an unparalleled urban landscape that profoundly shaped Western civilization.
Further Links
Founded, according to legend, by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC, Rome was first the centre of the Roman Republic, then of the Roman Empire, and it became the capital of the Christian world in the 4th century. The World Heritage site, extended in 1990 to the walls of Urban VIII, includes some of the major monuments of antiquity such as the Forums, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column and the Column of Marcus Aurelius, as well as the religious and public buildings of papal Rome.
The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (officially the Major Papal, Patriarchal and Roman Archbasilica, Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in Lateran, Mother and Head of All Churches in Rome and in the World), commonly known as the Lateran Basilica or Saint John Lateran, is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Rome in the city of Rome, Italy. It serves as the seat of the bishop of Rome and head of the worldwide Catholic Church: the pope. The only "archbasilica" in the world, it lies outside of Vatican City proper, which is located approximately four kilometres (2+1⁄2 miles) northwest. Nevertheless, as properties of the Holy See, the archbasilica and its adjoining edifices enjoy an extraterritorial status from Italy, pursuant to the terms of the Lateran Treaty of 1929. Dedicated to Christ the Saviour, in honor of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, the place name – Laterano (Lateran) – comes from an ancient Roman family (gens), whose palace (domus) grounds occupied the site. The adjacent Lateran Palace was the primary residence of the pope until the Middle Ages.
The church is the oldest of the four major papal basilicas, and it is one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. Founded in 324, it is the oldest public church in the city of Rome, and the oldest basilica in the Western world. It houses the cathedra of the Roman bishop, and it has the title of ecumenical mother church of the Catholic faithful. The building deteriorated during the Middle Ages and was badly damaged by two fires in the 14th century. It was rebuilt in the late 16th century during the reign of Pope Sixtus V. The new structure's interior was renovated in the late 17th century, and its façade was completed in 1735 under Pope Clement XII.
The current Rector is Cardinal Archpriest Baldassare Reina, Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome since 6 October 2024. The president of the French Republic, currently Emmanuel Macron, is ex officio the "First and Only Honorary Canon" of the archbasilica, a title that the heads of state of France have possessed since King Henry IV.
The large Latin inscription on the façade reads: Clemens XII Pont Max Anno V Christo Salvatori In Hon SS Ioan Bapt et Evang. This abbreviated inscription translates as: "The Supreme Pontiff Clement XII, in the fifth year [of his Pontificate, dedicated this building] to Christ the Saviour, in honor of Saints John the Baptist and [John] the Evangelist". Because Christ the Saviour is its primary dedication, its titular feast day is 6 August, the Transfiguration of Christ.
