This round church is only a fifteen minute walk from Colosseum and is a place for history- and architect lovers.

The church was finished in 483, dedicated to the martyr Saint Stephen and the first church in Rome to have a circular plan. In 1454, Santo Stefano Rotondo fell in the hands of the Pauline Fathers, a Catholic Order founded by Hungarians. Later on, the chuch was to become Hungary’s national church in Rome.

It is said that the church was restored under the supervision of the famous architect and art theorist Leon Battista Alberti. Santo Stefano, the basilican church, is preceded by a porch with five granite Corinthian columns and the church itself has a round form, which was often used for the ancient Roman mausoleums. Two rings of columns also surround the octagonal altar of the inside.

The interior has walls decorated with frescoes and an altar made in the fifteenth century. A painting of Jesus between two martyts is visible in the apse, and the chapels house mosaics from the seventh century. Santo Stefano Rotondo is a hidden gem filled with art. Surrounded by green trees, the place creates a feeling of peace and the city being very far away.

The opening hours may vary. During 1pm to 2pm in the winter and during 1 pm to 3.30 pm, the church is closed. It can be helpful to contact the church before visiting. 

Santo Stefano Rotondo
Via Santo Stefano Rotondo, 7, 00184 Roma RM