Abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls, Rome

The World Heritage-listed Abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls is a faithful reconstruction of the ancient church that burned down on this site in 1823. The medieval cloister escaped the devastating fire, and other parts of the original interior were rescued and restored over the years. The original church, built by Emperor Constantine, was erected over the burial site of St. Paul in a spot where his followers had created a memorial in his honor. The new church, following the plan of the old structure, took nearly a century to complete. The building is 132 m (432 ft) long, 65 m (213 ft) wide, and 30 m (97 ft) tall, making it the second-largest church in Rome. Farther away from the city center than other notable architectural sites, this church is often overlooked by tourists and is seldom crowded. It couldn't be easier to arrange your visit to Abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls and many more Rome attractions: make an itinerary online using Inspirock's Rome online trip planner.