Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains

Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains

The Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains, also known as the Basilica of Eudoxia, is a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic Church located in Rome, Italy. It was constructed between 432 and 440 AD during the papacy of Pope Sixtus III, mainly to enshrine the chains that bound Saint Peter (also known as Peter, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles) during his imprisonment in Jerusalem. Legend has it that Empress Eudoxia (wife of Emperor Valentinian III) brought these chains from Jerusalem and presented them to Pope Leo I. When the Pope compared this chain with the one Saint Peter wore during his final imprisonment in the Mamertine Prison in Rome, the two chains miraculously fused together. The chained relics are now preserved in a reliquary beneath the main altar of the basilica.

The Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains was renovated in the 8th century, a portico was added in 1475, and a cloister was built between 1471 and 1503, making it one of the oldest preserved buildings in Italy. The basilica houses numerous historically precious artworks, including the Parodi ceiling fresco, the mural “The Deliverance of Saint Peter,” the altarpiece “The Descent from the Cross,” the relief “Cardinal Nicholas Before Saint Peter,” and Michelangelo’s Moses sculpture. It attracts visitors from around the world every day.

San Pietro in Vincoli

Reason to visit: One of the oldest preserved buildings in Italy

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Italy[Italy]

Province/State: Lazio Region [Lazio Region]

City: Rome [Rome]