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One of Rome's most special basilicas

Published about 1 month ago • 1 min read

​Special Churches in Rome​

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

​Santa Maria Maggiore has always been one of my favorite churches in Rome, and as of April 2025 it's also become one of the most visited. Pope Francis chose to be buried here rather than at the Vatican, and tens of thousands of people have already come to pay their respects.

But there's a lot more to this basilica than the tomb, and I think it's worth going for the church itself.

Why Santa Maria Maggiore Belongs on Your List

There are only four major basilicas in the world, and all of them are in Rome. Santa Maria Maggiore is the one that gets overlooked the most, and it's an easy stop right by Termini.

It's also the final resting place of Pope Francis, the first pope in over 120 years to be buried outside Vatican walls.

What to Look For Inside

The basilica is over 1,500 years old and the layout has barely changed. The mosaics in the nave are original. The gold ceiling is real gold from the New World, gifted to a Borgia pope. The floor was laid in the 12th century and is still mostly intact. Bernini is buried here too, by his own request, under a plain stone slab next to the altar.

A Tour I Trust for Special Access

If you want to see Santa Maria Maggiore differently, the Semi-Private Santa Maria Maggiore Terraces Tour from Liv Tours takes you up to the upper loggia for an after-hours visit.

The tour also takes you up to the upper loggia, where the mosaics telling the snowfall legend are visible up close. From the floor of the basilica you can barely see them. And you have a guide walking you through what you're actually looking at.

If Santa Maria Maggiore is on your Rome list, read my full guide here for everything you need to plan your visit.

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Elyssa Bernard

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