Rome - Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano

The Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, at the end of Via Merulana, is bounded by the Lateran Palace, the side entrance to the church of St John Lateran and the baptistery of San Giovanni in Fonte. It is dominated by an Egyptian obelisk, the tallest (31m/102ft high, or 47m/154ft including the base) and also the oldest in Rome. It was brought from Thebes to Rome in a specially constructed ship in A.D. 357 and set up in the Circus Maximus. In 1587, during the reign of Sixtus V, it was transferred to its present site, and the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius which stood here was moved to the Capitol.

Must-see attractions nearby:

Colosseum
#1 of 169 attractions

Pantheon
#2 of 169 attractions

Trevi Fountain
#3 of 169 attractions

Vatican City
#4 of 169 attractions

Roman Forum
#5 of 169 attractions

Palatine Hill
#6 of 169 attractions

National Museum / Baths Museum
#7 of 169 attractions

Transit

Metro: San Giovanni (line A); Bus: 16, 85, 87, 88, 93, 93b, 93c, 218, 650.

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Holy Staircase

Diagonally across the main front of San Giovanni in Laterano is the church of the Scala Santa, on the position of the dining-room (triclinium) of the Lateran Palace. It contains the Papal chapel of the palace (Cappella Sanctum Sanctorum, with 13th century mosaics) and the Holy Staircase, a flight of 28 marble steps (now clad with wood) which is believed to be a staircase from Pilate's palace in Jerusalem, brought to Rome in the fourth century by St Helen. It is the practice for the faithful to climb the staircase on their knees in memory of Christ's Passion.

Transit

Metro: San Giovanni (line A); Buses: 16, 85, 87, 88, 93, 218, 650, 673.

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Open	Closed	8:30	8:30	8:30	8:30	8:30	8:30
Close		19:30	19:30	19:30	19:30	19:30	19:30