- Duration: 2 hours
- Priority access
- Audioguide available
- Photos without flash
- Mobile Ticket
What to expect?
- Visit the main Rome basilica, the oldest basilica not only in Rome but in the Western world
- Visit one of the most famous sites in Rome, the historical seat of the pope
- Skip the line and don't waste your time
The former seat of the pope
While the Lateran Palace was the seat of the popes (from the 4th century until the temporary transfer of the papal capital to Avignon in 1309), the Lateran was the center of the Catholic Church. After the return of the popes to Rome in 1377, the official residence of the popes was moved to the Vatican, but the Lateran remained an important center of the church - popes were crowned here until 1870.
At the heart of the Lateran there is Piazza di San Giovanni, where the Lateran Palace stands. The original papal residence, built in the 4th century, was severely damaged in a fire and fell into ruins. In 1586, Pope Sixtus V commissioned Domenico Fontana to build a new palace as a summer papal residence. It was never used for this purpose thereafter. Fontana's Baroque palace now houses the offices of the Diocese of Rome (of which the pope is bishop). It was also the site of the historic meeting that led to the signing of the Lateran Treaties in 1929, which established the boundaries of the Vatican and settled relations with the Italian state.
The Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran is also known as the Papal Archbasilica of Saint John in Lateran, Saint John Lateran, or the Lateran Basilica. It is the oldest and highest ranking of the four major papal basilicas as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome, holding the unique title of "archbasilica". Founded in 324 by Constantine the Great, it is the oldest public church in the city of Rome, and the oldest basilica of the Western world.
The Cloister is a masterpiece of Cosmatesque art - the place where are preserved architectural elements, sculptures and ornaments of the ancient basilica. It was created by Pietro Vassalletto, a member of the famous family of Roman marble workers, also the authors of the one in the Basilica of St. Paul outside the walls.
What is included?
- Entrance and guided tour of the Lateran Palace
- Earphones
- Entrance and visit with multilingual audio guide of the Cloister and St. John Lateran Basilica
- Booking and management fees
What is not included?
- Guided tour of St. John Lateran Basilica, the Cloister and Sancta Sanctorum
- Entrance to Sancta Sanctorum
- Anything not expressly indicated in the "What is included" section
Available options
- Guided tour of the Lateran Palace available in: Italian (other languages on request)
- Audio guide of the Basilica and Cloister available in: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish
Price reductions
- Reduced ticket for children aged 6-17
- Free Ticket for children under 6 years old (It is still required to pay the reservation fee to skip the line; valid identity document needed at the entrance)
Meeting Point
To remember
Lateran Palace guided Tour
To visit the Lateran Palace it will be necessary to show up at least 15 minutes before the booking time and show the QR code directly at the entrance, Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, next to the main entrance of St. John Lateran Basilica
- Reservation is mandatory
- Available languages: Italian, other languages on request
- Available visits: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
- Closed: Wednesdays, Sundays and Vatican holidays
It is possible to access the site from Piazza di Porta San Giovanni, right next to the entrance to the Basilica, in small groups, accompanied by the wise guide of the Missionary Sisters of Divine Revelation.
The visit will unfold along ten rooms, richly frescoed, up to the private apartment of the Bishop of Rome.
The guided tour will end at the entrance to St. John Lateran Basilica, from which you can proceed independently to discover the Basilica, the Cloister with a multilingual audio guide.
