St Paul within the Walls was markedly different to photograph than many other churches in Rome. The walls were patterned with different colour bricks, and the interior was refreshingly simple. As this panoramic picture shows, this is an effective 'less is more' kind of architecture.

St Paul's Within the Walls - Rome visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'St Paul's Within the Walls' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Roma.

Panorama of the church of St. Paul's within the Walls in Rome. It is easy to pass the church walking along Via Nazionale, and the entrance is on Via Napoli. St Paul's Within the Walls is not often mentioned in guide books, and is very different inside to most other churches in Rome. It is very close to S Maria Maggiore and the Piazza della Republica. Nearby are also a cluster of other churches including the famous S Maria della Vittoria and Santa Susanna.

St Paul's Within the Walls was the first non-Roman Catholic church to be built inside the walls of Rome. The church was designed by the English architect George Edmund Street and built in 1873. The The apse and arch mosaics are by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, depicting the Annunciation and the Tree of Life (arches) and Christ Enthroned above the Earthly Paradise (with the Fathers of the Church, the Virgin Saints and the Christian Warriors). The mosaics on the west wall are by George Breck, and depict the Creation, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and the Nativity. The stained glass windows by Clayton and Bell show scenes from the life of St. Paul.

There is a long story behind how the first non-Roman Catholic church came to be established in the heart of Rome. For many centuries the Popes ruled over both the Catholic Church and also large areas of lands as well. These were called the Papal States, and the Pope had his own army. In 1861 during the reign of Pius IX, King Victor Emmanuel II declared war on the Papacy and began to conquer the Papal States. The last to fall was Rome in 1870, mostly because of support for the Pope by French forces garrisoned there by Napoleon III for his protection. When these forces were withdrawn to defend France, the Italians sent an ambassador to the Pope offering a solution. This was rejected along with the declaration from the Pope that the Italian forces "you will never enter Rome!"

10 days later the last Papal State, Rome, fell into civil hands. Under the new civil rule it was now possible for non-Catholic churches to be built in Rome, and so the new church began in 1873 with a brick from Independence Hall, as a symbol of religious liberty in the city. It took almost 100 years for the Catholic church to be reconciled to the existence of this Anglican church. On December 1960, the church was visited by Blessed Pope John XXIII together with the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fischer. This is commemorated with an inscription by the door. St. Paul-within-the-Walls continues as an Anglican community today.

St. Paul within the Walls
Via Napoli 58
00184 Roma, Italy

Travel and Getting There:
Metro: Republica (Red Line)