The basilica was built between 432 and 440 AD to house the relic of the chains that bound Saint Peter when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem. These chains are now kept in a reliquary under the main altar1¹

The basilica is best known for housing Michelangelo's statue of Moses, which is part of the tomb of Pope Julius II². The statue is renowned for its lifelike depiction and the horns on Moses' head, symbolizing the radiance of the Lord³.

The church features Doric columns and a coffered ceiling with a fresco of the Miracle of the Chains from 1706³. The portico, added in 1475, is attributed to Baccio Pontelli¹.

Over the centuries, the basilica has undergone several restorations, including work by Pope Adrian I in the 11th century and further renovations in the 15th, 18th, and 19th centuries³.

1. www.historyhit.com; 2.rome.us; 3. journeystoitaly.com

Board the B Line train heading towards Laurentina.

Get off at Termini Metro Station.

From Termini, switch to the A Line (Red Line) heading towards Anagnina. Get off at San Giovanni station

This route should take around 20-25 minutes, depending on wait times for the train changes.

Walking from San Giovanni Metro Station to the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano is a pleasant and short stroll. Once you exit the station, head northwest on Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano. Walk Straight: Continue straight for about 300 meters. You'll see the basilica straight ahead.

The walk should take around 5-7 minutes, and you'll be able to admire the beautiful architecture as you approach the basilica.

The piazza lies inside the northern gate in the Aurelian Walls, once the Porta Flaminia of ancient Rome, and now called the Porta del Popolo. This was the starting point of the Via Flaminia, the road to Ariminum (modern-day Rimini) and the most important route to the north. At the same time, before the age of railroads, it was the traveller's first view of Rome upon arrival. For centuries, the Piazza del Popolo was a place for public executions, the last of which took place in 1826.¹

At the center of the square stands an Egyptian obelisk of Ramesses II, originally brought to Rome by Emperor Augustus in 1 BC. It was moved to its current location in 1589 by Pope Sixtus V as part of an urban plan¹

The square was originally known as the "Campus Martius" and served as a military training ground in ancient Rome². It later became the starting point of the Via Flaminia, the most important road connecting Rome to Northern Italy¹.

The current layout of the square was designed by the architect Giuseppe Valadier between 1811 and 1822. Valadier transformed the square into a neoclassical space, incorporating trees and creating two semicircles reminiscent of Bernini's plan for St. Peter's Square¹.

Flanking the square are the "twin" churches of Santa Maria in Montesanto and Santa Maria dei Miracoli, designed by Carlo Rainaldi and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Despite their different plans and domes, they appear symmetrical from the square due to an optical effect³.

The piazza is a vibrant area filled with cafes, shops, and hotels, making it a popular spot for both locals and tourists⁴. It also serves as the starting point for three main streets of Rome's historic center: Via del Corso, Via del Babuino, and Via di Ripetta³.

1. en.wikipedia.org 2. myromepass.com 3. turismoroma.it 4. romawonder.com

Sant'Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso (usually known simply as San Carlo al Corso) is a basilica church in Rome, Italy, facing onto the central part of the Via del Corso. The apse of the church faces across the street, the Mausoleum of Augustus on Via di Ripetta.

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How To Get There

Exit Piazza del Popolo: Start at the southern end of Piazza del Popolo.

Walk Along Via del Corso: Head south on Via del Corso. This is one of Rome's main shopping streets and is lined with a variety of shops and cafes.

Continue Straight: Walk along Via del Corso for about 650 meters (approximately 8-10 minutes).

Reach the Basilica: The Basilica of SS. Ambrose and Charles on the Corso will be on your right at Via del Corso, 437.

Start at Piazza Barberini: Begin by heading south on Via del Tritone from the square.

Continue on Via del Tritone: Walk straight along Via del Tritone for about 600 meters.

Turn Left onto Via del Corso: When you reach Via del Corso, turn left and continue for about 300 meters.

Arrive at Piazza Colonna: You'll find yourself at Piazza Colonna, with the impressive Column of Marcus Aurelius at its center.

This route should take you about 10-12 minutes

San Nicola in Carcere (Italian, "St Nicholas in prison") is an ancient titular church and minor basilica in Rome near the Forum Boarium in rione Ripa.

It is constructed in the remains of the three temples of the Forum Holitorium and is one of the traditional stational churches of Lent. The parish was suppressed in 1931 and it is now served by the Clerics Regular of the Mother of God from the nearby Santa Maria in Campitelli.

The first church on the site was probably built in the 6th century, and a 10th-century inscription may be seen on a fluted column next to the entrance, but the first definite dedication is from a plaque on the church dating to 1128.

The inscriptions found in S. Angelo, a valuable source illustrating the history of the Basilica, have been collected and published by Vincenzo Forcella.

It was constructed in and from the ruins of the Forum Holitorium and its Roman temples, along with a jail (carcer) which a tradition (supported by Pliny's history of Rome) states was sited in the temples' ruins.

However, the in Carcere (in jail) part of the name of the church was only changed to "in Carcere Tulliano" in the 14th century, owing to an erroneous identification.

Spolia from all these ancient remains is still apparent in the church's construction, most particularly three columns from the Temple of Juno Sospita which are incorporated into both the 10th century and 1599 frontal façades of the church.

The columns of the Temple of Janus, dedicated by Gaius Duilius after his naval victory at the Battle of Mylae in 260 BC, can still be seen as being incorporated into the northern wall of the church. Six columns from the Temple of Spes are visible in the southern wall.

en.wikipedia.org