Basilica of Santa Prassede
Hidden just a few minutes from Santa Maria Maggiore, Santa Prassede is a small Roman basilica famous for its extraordinary 9th-century Byzantine mosaics. The intimate church rewards visitors with richly decorated chapels, ancient columns and a remarkable connection between Roman and Byzantine artistic traditions.
What can you discover here?
9th-Century Apse Mosaic
The apse mosaic presents Christ surrounded by saints and Pope Paschal I. The figures and rich gold background demonstrate the strong Byzantine artistic influence on early medieval Roman art.
Chapel of Saint Zeno
The Chapel of Saint Zeno is the artistic highlight of Santa Prassede. Its walls and vault are covered with brilliant mosaics depicting Christ, saints and members of the papal family.
Mosaics of the Nave and Triumphal Arch
The nave and triumphal arch preserve further mosaics commissioned during the pontificate of Paschal I. Together they create one of the most important ensembles of early medieval mosaic art in Rome.
History & Heritage
The Basilica of Santa Prassede is an early medieval titular church in Rome’s Monti district, close to Santa Maria Maggiore. The present building preserves important elements of the church created during the pontificate of Pope Paschal I in the early 9th century.
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The church is dedicated to Saint Praxedes, traditionally associated with the care of persecuted Christians and the burial of martyrs.
The basilica’s greatest artistic treasure is its collection of 9th-century mosaics. The apse and triumphal arch preserve a highly sophisticated programme created during the Carolingian and Byzantine-influenced artistic revival of Rome.
The Chapel of Saint Zeno is particularly important. Commissioned by Pope Paschal I as a memorial chapel, it is richly decorated with mosaics and is one of the most significant surviving Byzantine-inspired interiors in Rome.
The basilica also contains ancient Roman columns incorporated into the medieval structure and a Cosmatesque pavement.
Santa Prassede demonstrates how medieval Rome combined ancient architectural elements with new Christian artistic and liturgical traditions. Together with Santa Maria Maggiore and San Clemente, it forms part of a remarkable group of churches connected with the history of Christianity and the cultural environment encountered by Saints Cyril and Methodius in Rome.