To think, I almost avoided visiting this STUNNING 17th-century church - Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di…read moreLoyola, when visiting Rome, Italy (09/25/2025 - 10/01/2025) because it is Tik-Tok and IG "famous" for being the "mirrored church" to take an iconic selfie... yes, you read that correctly..iconic selfie. I was for sure it was going to be crowded w/ social media influencers and I was correct..it was crowded but don't let that deter you from seeing this historical beauty! Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola is known as the "mirrored church" because it has a mirror strategically placed to see the beautiful painted ceiling fresco. (see pics & videos included in this review from my visit on Tuesday 09/30/2025 - at 10:56am) It also has a painted illusion of having a real soaring dome on a flat ceiling - very cool for sure and does make you look twice just to confirm it's indeed an illusion! Here are a few helpful fyi(s) that I wanted to pass along: --- - long line for the mirror right as you enter the church - if there is a line of people waiting for the mirror, you don't have to wait in that line if you don't want to take a selfie w/ the mirror and are only wanting to see the church...as someone else mentioned in a previous review, you can get creative w/ taking a selfie w/ the beautiful ceiling. My hubby & I took our selfie pic while we were sitting in the pew and used a timer on our phone (see pic included). ---- visit early to avoid the crowds & to fully enjoy your experience at this church Avoid the crowds so you can really take in how detailed and beautiful the architecture and paintings are. Trust me, you'll enjoy your experience so much more w/ less people. ---- it's free to visit but do bring some money w/ you to give as an offering --- just a reminder to be respectful when visiting because it is a holy place Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola truly is something special and of the MANY Rome basilica's I've explored during my 2 visits to Rome, it is now my FAVORITE basilica thus far. Hope this info helps. :)) Rebecca visiting Rome, Italy from Austin, Texas (USA) 09/25/2025 - 10/01/2025

Honestly, save your time and your one euro coin. The church…read moreitself is beautiful, but the entire experience has been completely ruined by social media hype. We waited in line for a literal hour just to reach the famous "selfie mirror" to get a photo with the ceiling fresco. When you finally get to the front, you have to pay 1 euro, and you're rushed through it so fast you can barely even check if the photo turned out.

Rome never ceases to amaze, and this basilica is one of the most historically significant and and…read morearchitecturally impressive in town. Highly recommend a stop here! This is one of Rome's four major papal basilicas* and one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches**. Located on Esquiline Hill, legend is that Virgin Mary appeared to an aristocrat Giovanni and his wife, who were seeking to donate their possessions to Saint Mary--and to the pontificate in charge at the time Pope Liberius--indicating in a vision that a church be built where snow would fall in Rome during the summer. This miraculous event occurred on Esquiline Hill in August and the church was erected where snow fell. To this day in August annually, a celebration of the church founding is marked by a dramatic showering of white rose petals from the ceiling during mass. In more accurate historical context, the building was built under Pope Celestine I (422-432) or less likely during the era of Pope Sixtus III (432-440), though he consecrated the basilica, and certainly not under Pope Liberius. Even before this, there were remains of a prior church and earlier building sites underneath excavations unearthed in the 20th century. There are references to the church being known as "Sancta Maria ad Praesepe" (Saint Mary of the Crib) since it contained (and still does) pieces of wood from the supposed holy crib or manger of Christ. The current exterior and facade are the result of modifications to a Baroque style in the -8th century. The church is located in a piazza (Piazza dell' Esquilino) with the Colonna della Pace (Column of Peace; see my sep review for that!) added in the 18th century. Inside the building retains its original 5th-century layout, a wide nave flanked by by marble columns on each side, with narrow side aisles, hemmed in by side chapels. In the 14th century a bell tower was added in the Romanesque style. The triumphal arch framing the front altar stands out with its colorful 5th century frescos, and the mosaics covering the other walls depict biblical scenes. The front altar, crypt and Sistine Chapel (not the one in the Vatican), are worth taking a closer look at while visiting. There is no admission charge, though donations are accepted. They open very early at 7am, and close 6:30pm daily. Notably eight popes as buried here, the latest being in 2025 of Pope Francis. For more info: https://www.basilicasantamariamaggiore.va/en/basilica/storia-e-arte.html *meaning according to google ;P it's one of the four highest-ranking churches in the Catholic Church, all located in Rome's diocese, which maintain a unique connection to the pope. Each papal basilica features a high altar and a papal throne that only the Pope (or someone he designates) may use to celebrate Mass. **a historic group of major and minor basilicas visited by devoted Catholic pilgrims to this day--it's a 25-kilometer (15-mile) walking trail around Rome popularized by Saint Philip Neri in the 16th century.

We arrived in Rome by train in the early evening, but we wanted to make the most of the remainder…read moreof our day. We took a bus over and ate a quick dinner nearby before getting in line for the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore 30 minutes before closing. Entrance is free. There is a security check before entering and the line moved pretty quickly. The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four basilicas in Rome and it is dedicated to honoring the Virgin Mary. Tradition holds that the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to a wealthy Roman couple and Pope Liberius, instructing them to build a church where snow would miraculously fall in August. The next morning, August 5th snow reportedly blanketed the Esquiline Hill, marking the site of the basilica. Every August 5th, white rose petals are dropped from the ceiling to celebrate the "Miracle of the Snow." The interior was absolutely stunning. From the ceiling to the walls, and all of the paintings and sculptures were magnificent. This basilica houses some of the oldest representations of the Virgin Mary in art. It also holds the holy crib relic that contains pieces of the manger where Jesus was laid. This was the first basilica we visited in Rome and we also saw how there were multiple confession boxes with a Priest assigned and their language and hours. Very modern. I guess that helps with people of all ethnic backgrounds coming to Rome for their religious pilgrimages. I was so impressed by this basilica when we visited, but to be honest I am so glad we came here before seeing St Peter's Basilica because I would have been underwhelmed by compare if I went there first. I recommend coming here before going to St. Peter's Basilica so you can feel impressed here, and then even more impressed at St Peter's Basilica.

In English: Lateran Basilica or Saint John Lateran. This Basilica is one of the Major Basilicas in…read moreRome which serves as the seat of the bishop of Rome and the head of the worldwide Catholic Church which is the Pope. Like any other churches in Rome, this basilica is also beautiful. On a regular day, St. John lateran Basilica is normally quiet and dark but as per hubby he found a switch that you drop a coin to turn on the lights of the main altar of the church. During the Jubilee year, it was not as crowded as other basilicas but there are people as well paying homage. This is also considered the oldest church in the city of Rome. Definitely worth visiting. Is also located close to Scala Sancta or the Holy Stairs. February 2026

Such a beautiful Basilica! This one rivals some of the grand, ornate Basilicas we visited in Spain…read moreand Marseille. Getting in was simple and quick, they do have metal detectors and security to walk through before getting to the main entrance, but that was quick. Once inside, the ceilings were notably impressive. The colors and paintings were so detailed! Architecture was also extraordinary! Definitely highly recommended to visit!

A hidden gem in Rome! Basilica di San Clemente is a…read morefascinating layer-cake of history--three levels spanning centuries, from a 12th-century church to a 1st-century Roman home and Mithraeum. Peaceful, powerful, and beautifully preserved. I was out of words, let the pictures speak for itself. Don't miss it!

We walked by three times yesterday on the way to and from our hotel. The first time we missed it…read morecompletely. It's unassuming. The second time it was closed. The third time time we walked down the stairs ( be VERY careful) and inside. It's being excavated and renovated. But what we could see was memorable. St. Catherine's Chapel was lovely, and another chapel was too. We saw that tickets were being sold for a tour, but we were late for another activity nearby. We wished we had had time! Looked amazing. There are two bathrooms here. No paper towels were available in either, both had soap, and only one had toilet paper. Be prepared!

IG lead me here. I am so glad I came. I love history and religious relics and also churches and…read morebasilicas in general It came to my attention that the Column of the Flagellation is housed here, an alleged segment of the pillar or column upon which Jesus was flogged before his crucifixion in Jerusalem. This church also has beautiful breathtaking Mosaics dating back to the 1800's This church is located down a small street almost an alley way and at first I felt like maybe I got dropped off at the wrong location lol but trust me you are not lost, it is not far from Saint Mary Major Basilica

I came here because somebody on one of those tour busses said that there were a number of Popes…read moreburied in this basilica, though it turns out that I actually have little knowledge of the umpteen number of Popes that have held the position throughout the ages, so when I came in here I really had no idea what I was looking at. The interesting thing about this place though is that it is hidden down a side street and can be easily missed. It is a musky old church, and does have a little charm.

Beautiful cathedral to see!…read more The catacombs are interesting but as this is till holy ground, the bones have been relocated out of public eye. The tour guide was very informative and friendly. I would recommend it for eduction and history, but not for just seeing bones like the Paris catacombs.

This was a great experience! The Catacombs and crypt were really interesting and the museum was…read morevery informative. Our guide Matteo was awesome!

Ancient peoples used to be more tolerant of reusing existing buildings for new purposes, instead of…read morethe tearing down and reconstructing using inferior techniques we see today, and this church is a prime example. At the behest of Pope Pius IV based on a request by Sicilian priest Antonio del Duca, this church was designed in 1562 with input from Michelangelo within the former frigidarium* of the Terme di Diocleziano ancient baths. Work continued after Michelangelo's passing through Giacomo Del Duca, Antonio's nephew and protege of Michelangelo. The works lasted until the middle of the 18th century with Luigi Vanvitelli undoing some of the modifications of his predecessors post Del Duca, and transferring some of the altarpieces from Saint Peter's Basilica here. The ornate interior of this basilica contrasts with its simple, comparatively anachronistic facade. It's really a sight to behold and very different inside with a soaring nave and transept of colored marble columns, vibrant frescoes, beautifully hewn patterned marble floors. A special feature of the dome is a stained glass lantern that seals the oculus, of which the original function during Roman days was a hole letting in rain water into the bathing pools below. Replacing the ones by Michelangelo and Del Duca due to inclement weather considerations, Italian artist Narcissus Quagliata's version is the one visible today. With a diameter of about two meters, it's partitioned into eight wedges with twenty-four multi-colored glass plates, inside which are three astronomical lenses placed at different heights, angled to concentrate the sun's rays downwards. Together they project a beam of light onto the floor of the basilica that reaches the exact center of the floor at noon daily. What a feat of mathematical engineering! Today this space is a functional Catholic parish, setting for special events like weddings or state funerals for public figures. Visitation is free of charge. Highly recommend a visit! *central classroom. Not refrigerator. Baths used to be centers of society and discourse in ancient Rome.

The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs can be easily missed. It doesn't look like…read moremuch from the outside but the interior is beautiful. It was built in the 16th century based on a design by Michelangelo. The basilica is a fantastic construction with beautiful frescoes, paintings and sculptures. It is well worth visiting, you won't be disappointed.

Wonderful church on the other side of the river away from the touristy parts of Rome. Even though…read moreit is a little way from central Rome, there were a number of people wondering around here in the late afternoon. It is definitely well worth the walk here. The architecture is grand. One thing about Roman churches is that from the outside it might not look like much but once you enter, it is a lot different with the light, architecture, and size on the inside.

The garden in front is beautiful and great for pictures and taking a short little stroll. The…read moreinside is amazing with historic art and sculptures. On a warm day you can walk in, have a seat and relax. Sometimes you get a bonus when the nuns or priests do their chants. There is no drinking fountain or restroom available at the church or on the church grounds as far as we could see.

A Roman Catholic church in Rome, named after Saint Mary Magdalene…read more Located on the Via della Maddalena, one of the streets leading from the Piazza della Rotonda in the Campo Marzio area of historic Rome. The interior is architecturally complex, it has a Borrominesque elongated octagonal nave, with two chapels at each flank. To the right is the main chapel dedicated and holding the relics of Saint Camillus. In this Chapel the vault was frescoed by Sebastiano Conca. The church also has a Christ, Virgin, and St. Nicolas of Bari by Baciccia and a San Lorenzo Giustiniani with Infant Jesus by Luca Giordano.

This is an incredible church I stumbled across while meandering through the streets of rome this…read moreafternoon. The outside is very unassuming but inside it's breathtaking. There is so much gilded architecture every which way you turn, and even a mural painted by michaelangelo in a side room. The artwork here will blow your mind, don't miss out on this outstanding little church!

"Hidden jewel" would be an understatement!…read more Sitting in the back corner of this warehouse-looking unassuming church is Michelangelo's majestic Moses, considered one of the master's greatest works! How cool is that?! And you don't have to spend 30 Euros just to get in. No, not even 1 Euro, because it's completely free. The church did great work to showcase their treasure - there's LED lighting that simulates the natural light that moves through the church during the day and they've condensed the process to 3 minutes. You'll see the light changes on the great statue and the final moment is when the sun sets on Moses' face - if there is anything in the real world that comes close to the term "biblical scene", this one is it! But the church isn't all about Michelangelo. It is St Peter who is the resident saint here. His chains are stored in a golden chest in the center of the church. Visitors can go down to a small area to pray/ pay respects and have a closer view. Opposite to the great Moses is a marvelous pipe organ high on the wall. If you happen to be there when the church organist plays, the feeling is divine. Lastly, you won't have to fight 5000 other tourists, like you may have at the Colosseum or Pantheon. There may be a few dozen people, nothing stressful. Most likely you can sit down, listen to the music, and cherish a moment spent with a holy object (the chains) about 2000 years old, and a rare man made masterpiece (Moises) about 500 years old.... You came to Rome for this, didn't you?

Well worth the visit! So glad our tour guide took me here to see Moses! Very easy to see, so…read morebeautiful!