It is the only church in the world officially designated as an 'Archbasilica'.
The bronze doors of the main entrance were salvaged from the ancient Roman Curia in the Roman Forum.
The interior contains twelve massive niches, each holding a larger-than-life statue of an apostle, commissioned by Pope Clement XI.
It is the burial place of six popes, including Sergius IV, Alexander II, and Clement XII.
The floor is covered in 13th-century Cosmatesque marble inlay, one of the finest examples of the style in Rome.
The facade features a giant loggia, known as the Blessing Loggia, from which the Pope delivers the blessing on Holy Thursday.
The basilica's exterior columns contain statues of saints that are approximately 20 feet tall.
The site includes the Sancta Sanctorum, which houses the Scala Sancta, the staircase believed to have been climbed by Jesus in Jerusalem.
The Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano is the official cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the ecclesiastical seat of the Pope as the Bishop of Rome. It ranks as the oldest and highest-ranking of the four papal major basilicas, holding the title of 'Archbasilica'. Originally founded in the 4th century under Constantine the Great, the present structure features a 1735 Baroque facade designed by Alessandro Galilei. The interior contains the monumental 'Confessio' and a 14th-century Gothic tabernacle housing relics said to be the heads of Saints Peter and Paul. The adjacent cloister, built by the Vassalletto family in the 13th century, displays Cosmatesque mosaic work. The basilica serves as the mother church of all Roman Catholic churches worldwide, outranking St. Peter's Basilica in formal precedence. It is part of the Lateran Palace complex, which served as the primary residence of the Popes for nearly a millennium until the move to the Vatican. The site is officially recognized as extraterritorial property of the Holy See.
The central nave looking toward the papal altar and the view of the ornate ceiling.
Dedicate extra time to the adjacent 13th-century cloister, which requires a separate small fee but offers a unique architectural retreat.
Visit the separate building across the street to see the Scala Sancta, which many pilgrims climb on their knees.
Check the liturgical calendar for major feast days, as the basilica occasionally hosts major papal events that may restrict access to certain areas.
Do not mistake the nearby Baptistery for the main cathedral entrance; they are separate structures.
Strict dress code: shoulders and knees must be covered. Hats should be removed, and quiet behavior is expected.
