The church of the Four Crowned Saints – Santi Quattro Coronati in Rome.

The church of the Four Crowned Saints stands halfway between the Colosseum and St John Lateran on Via dei Santi Quattro Coronati.

Getting there : San Giovanni or Colosseo metro station. By tram, line 3 to Labicana. By bus, line no. 85.

Address : Via dei Santi Quattro, 20

Opening hours : the oratory is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 12:00. Closed on Sunday.
Possible but not guaranteed opening from 16:00 to 17:30 every day (including Sunday)

The cloister is open Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 to 12:00. Possible but not guaranteed opening from 16:00 to 17:30 every day (including Sunday)

Ticket prices: donation requested to access the various parts..

Although the origins of the church of the Four Crowned Saints go back to the 4th century, it was rebuilt during the 12th and 13th centuries after its destruction in 1084 by the Normans.

The new church, smaller than the previous one, was turned into a true fortress, as can be seen in the architecture of the portal and the bell tower. It was charged with protecting the Lateran and was a regular residence of the popes during the Middle Ages.

The church is dedicated to four saints martyred for rejecting the cult of the gods under the emperor Diocletian.

Their torment was to be crowned with a jagged iron crown driven into their skulls.

Access is through the fortified-looking porch, which leads to a first inner courtyard and then a second.

This is lined with antique columns and gives access to the various buildings open to visitors.

The church has three aisles, separated by Corinthian columns. The choir still has its 9th-century structure, from before the Norman destruction. It thus seems too large for the size of the present church, the previous one having been much larger, since it encompassed the courtyard in front of the church.

The paving of the central aisle is Cosmatesque in style, as found in several churches in Rome. The rest is paved with marble elements and also with inscriptions from a Christian cemetery.
The frescoes and paintings in the apse date from the 16th century.

The cloister

You can reach the cloister of Santi Quattro Coronati from the left side of the church or from the courtyard (ring at the door). When Pope Paschal II rebuilt the church, he entrusted it to Benedictine monks. They then built this magnificent cloister at the beginning of the 13th century. In the centre you will find a very fine marble cantharus (ablution vase), surrounded by a basin. This cloister is a true haven of peace in a place full of charm. It is certainly one of the finest cloisters in Rome.

Oratory of Saint Sylvester:

Access is from the first courtyard.

This chapel is particularly interesting from a historical and political point of view.

In this long hall you can admire very fine 13th-century frescoes illustrating the conversion of the emperor Constantine to Christianity.

Indeed, the emperor, who was ill, had a dream: Saint Peter and Saint Paul advised him to go and find the Pope. Constantine is baptised and is miraculously cured. The Pope then has him adore the icons of the two apostles.

Of course, these frescoes also have a political meaning. The 13th century saw the struggle between the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy over the Pope’s temporal power. The Pope thus recalls the power that comes to him from Constantine.

On the frescoes you will find the main elements of this story: Constantine presenting the tiara and the umbrella to Pope Sylvester, the baptism of Constantine, the adoration of the icons of Saints Peter and Paul …

These frescoes are in very good condition and are particularly beautiful.

The Gothic Hall:

In the early 2000s, superb 12th-century frescoes were discovered under a thick layer of plaster in the Gothic halls. The various frescoes represent the months of the year, the liberal arts and, in a central place, Solomon. Visits to this hall are by appointment with registration on the official website.