Basilica San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura
Basilica San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura
4
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Plan your visit
The area
Neighbourhood: Ardeatino
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
3,509 within 5 kms
Attractions
2,284 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.0
48 reviews
Excellent
13
Very good
30
Average
5
Poor
0
Terrible
0
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
The Spanish Steps Apartment
Rome, Italy33,862 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Dedicated to Saint Sebastian, the martyr shot full of arrows, with a simple façade and a lovely interior. Inside is an amazing bust of Christ as the “Salvator Mundi” (Savior of the World), only recently recognized as being the last work of the great sculptor Bernini. The coffered wooden ceiling is particularly lovely, as is the beautifully decorated Albani chapel. There is also the sensual marble sculpture of Saint Sebastian by Giuseppe Giorgetti. The church also has the original stone slab from the Quo Vadis, which is supposedly the footprints of Jesus when he met Saint Peter and relics relating to Saint Sebastian. A lovely, quiet church, well worth a visit.
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tosl
Jersey City, NJ958 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Nice church next to the catacombs dedicated to Saint Sebastian. You learn about his martyrdom on the tour and end in his quiet. solemn church. The have Bernini's last work, Bust of the Savior, also.
Written 7 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelerCentralFLA
Clermont, FL1,776 contributions
Mar 2019 • Family
We visited the Basilica of San Sebastiano while in Rome. The church stands over an entrance to one of the older catacombs in Rome. Originally Sebastian (a Christian martyr executed by Diocletian) was laid to rest in the catacombs. Today his remains are inside the church where they are considered relics by the church authorities.
The interior of the church is pretty, but it is not too unusual from many other churches in Europe. Three things stand out inside the Basilica. The first is the remains of Sebastian. The second is a spot that contains relics from the legendary Quo Vadis incident in the life of the Apostle Peter. Also within the screened area of the Quo Vadis footprints is one of the darts allegedly shot into Sebastian.
The third item is the most interesting in my opinion. That is the Salvator Mundi sculpture by Bernini. Salvator Mundi means Savior of the world and the sculpture is a bust of Bernini's representation of Jesus. The bust is not remarkable for its historical depiction of Jesus (the man represented in the bust looks European and Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jewish man). What is remarkable is the artistic masterpiece of the sculpture. The way Bernini sculpted the piece, it looks like you can see motion. It has a motion and warmth that makes it feel almost alive. it is amazing. This is also reported to be Bernini's last sculpture. It is definitely worth seeing.
The interior of the church is pretty, but it is not too unusual from many other churches in Europe. Three things stand out inside the Basilica. The first is the remains of Sebastian. The second is a spot that contains relics from the legendary Quo Vadis incident in the life of the Apostle Peter. Also within the screened area of the Quo Vadis footprints is one of the darts allegedly shot into Sebastian.
The third item is the most interesting in my opinion. That is the Salvator Mundi sculpture by Bernini. Salvator Mundi means Savior of the world and the sculpture is a bust of Bernini's representation of Jesus. The bust is not remarkable for its historical depiction of Jesus (the man represented in the bust looks European and Jesus was a Middle Eastern Jewish man). What is remarkable is the artistic masterpiece of the sculpture. The way Bernini sculpted the piece, it looks like you can see motion. It has a motion and warmth that makes it feel almost alive. it is amazing. This is also reported to be Bernini's last sculpture. It is definitely worth seeing.
Written 26 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dapper777
Monaco65,345 contributions
Oct 2020 • Friends
The Basilica of St Sebastian outside the Walls is located along the Via Appia Antica, between the Caffarella Park and the Catacombs of St Sebastian and is part of the so-called Tour of the Seven Churches, a traditional route practiced by pilgrims from all over the world on the occasion of the Jubilee.
The basilica stands in the place where, according to tradition, the remains of Sts. Peter and Paul were brought during the Christian persecution. For this reason the original name of the church was "Basilica Apostolorum", the Basilica of the Apostles, before being dedicated to St Sebastian, buried in the catacombs below, at the end of the third century.
For fear of an attack by the Ottomans, in 826 AD. the saint's remains were transferred to St. Peter's Basilica. And it was a good thing, since the attack happened for real, causing the destruction of the church.
The Basilica was subsequently rebuilt by Pope Nicholas I, while the martyr's altar was rededicated by Pope Honorius III at the request of the Cistercian monks, who took care of the church.
Usually the saint was portrayed while he was tied to a tree but in the chapel dedicated to him in the basilica in 1672, Giuseppe Giorgetti preferred to show the saint lying on the ground in a pose which shows the influence of works by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Inside the basilica we can admire a recently found bust by Bernini, the Salvator Mundi, absolutely unmissable. This work, of which there was no certain information, was only recently recognized as the original piece of art by Bernini, his last one.
There are also very interesting relics such as the footprints of Jesus in the famous episode of "Domine Quo Vadis?"
It is a Basilica of great artistic and historic interest with a spectacular coffered ceiling, a wooden crucifix in the old sacristy on the left side of the church, and the beautifully decorated Albani chapel with the statue of Pope St. Fabian.
But the jewel of the site is the catacombs below.
A must visit: the whole spectacular set in the splendid framework of Via Appia Antica
The basilica stands in the place where, according to tradition, the remains of Sts. Peter and Paul were brought during the Christian persecution. For this reason the original name of the church was "Basilica Apostolorum", the Basilica of the Apostles, before being dedicated to St Sebastian, buried in the catacombs below, at the end of the third century.
For fear of an attack by the Ottomans, in 826 AD. the saint's remains were transferred to St. Peter's Basilica. And it was a good thing, since the attack happened for real, causing the destruction of the church.
The Basilica was subsequently rebuilt by Pope Nicholas I, while the martyr's altar was rededicated by Pope Honorius III at the request of the Cistercian monks, who took care of the church.
Usually the saint was portrayed while he was tied to a tree but in the chapel dedicated to him in the basilica in 1672, Giuseppe Giorgetti preferred to show the saint lying on the ground in a pose which shows the influence of works by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Inside the basilica we can admire a recently found bust by Bernini, the Salvator Mundi, absolutely unmissable. This work, of which there was no certain information, was only recently recognized as the original piece of art by Bernini, his last one.
There are also very interesting relics such as the footprints of Jesus in the famous episode of "Domine Quo Vadis?"
It is a Basilica of great artistic and historic interest with a spectacular coffered ceiling, a wooden crucifix in the old sacristy on the left side of the church, and the beautifully decorated Albani chapel with the statue of Pope St. Fabian.
But the jewel of the site is the catacombs below.
A must visit: the whole spectacular set in the splendid framework of Via Appia Antica
Written 1 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
phat_dawg_21
Alpharetta, GA16,948 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
The church is not particularly impressive from the outside, but the interior is interesting. The ceiling is very beautiful.
It contains the original “Footprints” of Jesus from the Church of Domine Quo Vadis.
It contains the original “Footprints” of Jesus from the Church of Domine Quo Vadis.
Written 2 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StevieRex
Dubai, United Arab Emirates5 contributions
July 2016 • Family
I got married in this Basilica, and come back every year. Beautiful inside and outside.
Overwhelming with artifacts and religious items.
The catacombs are really impressive.
The only glitch i can find is that it lacks a bit more of touristic flavor ( curio shop too small etc.) In that sense i was glad to find this year a new great touristic initiative: A bike rental that allows to enjoy the stunning Appia Antica road.
I have used it and will do again in August, at sunset perhaps.
Overwhelming with artifacts and religious items.
The catacombs are really impressive.
The only glitch i can find is that it lacks a bit more of touristic flavor ( curio shop too small etc.) In that sense i was glad to find this year a new great touristic initiative: A bike rental that allows to enjoy the stunning Appia Antica road.
I have used it and will do again in August, at sunset perhaps.
Written 12 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John B
Waltham, MA632 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
While taking a walk along the Appian Way, we stopped into this church and found some wonderful sculptures and frescoes. The catacombs weren't open (it was a Sunday - the day much of the Appia Antica is closed to traffic) but the church was worth a quick visit.
Written 14 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ExplorerGoddess
Sydney, Australia500 contributions
Sept 2016 • Couples
This Basilica is in the same area as the catacombs of St Sebastian. It's not much from the outside but is attractive inside and houses some relics associated with St Sebastian, including an arrow he was allegedly shot with and part of the column he was tied to.
It also has the stone allegedly imprinted with Jesus' footprints related to the St Peter fleeing Rome story.
Worth stopping in when walking along the Appian Way.
It also has the stone allegedly imprinted with Jesus' footprints related to the St Peter fleeing Rome story.
Worth stopping in when walking along the Appian Way.
Written 6 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carpense
Carpi, Italy3,548 contributions
Feb 2024 • Friends
Very ancient Constantinian origins for this evocative Roman basilica, which overlooks the historic and fascinating Via Appia Antica and which is directly connected to the celebrated Catacombs of San Callisto, the largest in Rome. Precisely to constitute an access to the venerated catacombs and to guard the venerated relics of San Sebastiano and San Fabiano Papa, it was included since the dawn of the Jubilees among the Seven Churches, which Roman pilgrims had to visit to gain the indulgence of Holy Year. Today it presents itself in an elegant 17th century architectural guise, which dominates any older structure. Single nave interior with side chapels and coffered ceiling with significant decorative apparatus. Of extraordinary artistic value is Bernini's bust, depicting the "Salvator Mundi", the last of the sculptures of the great master, which refers to the shining Bernini bust depicting Duke Francesco I d'Este in the Pinacoteca Estense in Modena. Among the most touching and notable relics are one of the arrows that hit Saint Sebastian and, above all, the stone fragment that preserves the footprints of the Redeemer, left on the pavement of the consular road during the poignant meeting with the Apostle Peter, which went down in history with title of “Domine, quo vadis?”. A unique experience, deeply moving.
Written 4 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fiorella P
Rome, Italy787 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
The Appia Antica and the Basilica of San Sebastiano are a frequent destination for my husband and me. Bernini's work, "Salvator Mundi" is a bewitching vision.
But, returning after the exhibition at Fiumicino airport, she is caged and badly too, because there are reflections that disturb the work.
Do you see the difference between before and after?
Let's go back to before, please! 🌸
But, returning after the exhibition at Fiumicino airport, she is caged and badly too, because there are reflections that disturb the work.
Do you see the difference between before and after?
Let's go back to before, please! 🌸
Written 29 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
¿ Se pueden hacer fotos ?
Written 1 November 2020
Showing results 1-1 of 1
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing