Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome


	Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Before the papacy was installed in the Vatican, St. John's was the residence of the pope and still is the Cathedral of Rome. Only the pope can celebrate mass here. Built in AD 314 by Constantine, the venerable cathedral has survived disaster after disaster, both natural and manmade. In 1993 a terrorist bomb destroyed part of the façade and the inner courtyard. Naturally, parts of the structure have been rebuilt many times, but the Baptistry remains largely as it was in Constantine's day. Pilgrims climb the 28 steps of the Scala Santa in front of the church on their knees to commemorate the day Christ walked down the same steps (it's believed) after being tried by Pontius Pilate. The pope's private relic-filled chapel, the Sancta Sanctorum, is at the top of the steps. The obelisk in the piazza is Rome's tallest and oldest, from the 15th century BC. Address: Piazza San Giovanni (in Laterano 4) Rome Italy Telephone: +39 (6) 698-6433