The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four major papal basilicas of Rome and the largest church in the city dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Just a few minutes from Termini station, Santa Maria Maggiore is easy to reach, free to enter and holds some of the oldest Christian mosaics in Rome, beneath a ceiling that glows with gold.
Why visit Santa Maria Maggiore
The basilica was built in the 5th century, and its core structure, with a long nave lined with ancient columns, still reflects that early church. Later centuries added the bell tower, which is the tallest in Rome, the Baroque façade and the domed side chapels. The result is a building where you can see more than 1,500 years of history in a single visit.
According to a well-known legend, the Virgin Mary indicated the site with a miraculous summer snowfall on the Esquiline Hill. The event is still remembered every August with a ceremony in which white petals fall from the ceiling.
The basilica gained new attention in 2025, when Pope Francis, who had a lifelong devotion to an icon kept here, was buried inside rather than in St Peter's.
Getting to Santa Maria Maggiore by metro
The nearest major station is Termini, served by Line A and Line B as well as mainline trains. Walk southwest along Via Cavour or the side streets towards Piazza dell'Esquilino; the basilica is about five to ten minutes away and its bell tower makes it easy to spot.
- Vittorio Emanuele on Line A, near Piazza Vittorio, is a similar short walk from the other side.
- Cavour on Line B is around ten minutes away, useful if you are coming from the Colosseum.
Because it is so close to Termini, Santa Maria Maggiore is a good first or last stop on a day in Rome, or a worthwhile visit if you have time to spare before a train.
Entry, dress code and opening times
Entry to the basilica is free. There is a security check at the entrance, and the usual dress code for Roman churches applies: shoulders and knees covered. Visitors are asked to keep quiet and avoid walking around during Mass, which is celebrated several times a day.
Extras such as guided visits to the upper loggia, with its medieval mosaics on the old façade, and the basilica museum may be paid and run on limited schedules. Opening hours change through the year and for religious events, so check the official Vatican information for the papal basilicas before you go.
Best time to visit and how long to stay
Mornings are usually calmest, and the light through the windows shows the nave mosaics well. Sundays and major feast days bring larger congregations, so sightseeing is more restricted then. Allow 45 minutes to an hour. If you want to see Pope Francis's tomb, expect a line at busy times.
Highlights inside
The nave mosaics
Above the columns, 5th-century mosaic panels tell stories from the Old Testament. More mosaics cover the triumphal arch in front of the altar. Binoculars or a phone zoom help.
The coffered ceiling
The Renaissance wooden ceiling is covered in gilding, traditionally said to use some of the first gold brought from the Americas.
The apse mosaic
Behind the altar, a medieval mosaic shows the Coronation of the Virgin in rich blues and golds.
The Pauline Chapel
This lavish Baroque chapel holds the revered icon of the Virgin known as the Salus Populi Romani, much loved by Romans.
The tomb of Pope Francis
Near the Pauline Chapel, the late pope's tomb is deliberately simple, marked with his Latin name, Franciscus.
Nearby on the same metro stop
Termini and the Esquiline area have more to see within a short walk:
- Palazzo Massimo: part of the National Roman Museum, with superb ancient frescoes and mosaics, by Termini.
- Baths of Diocletian: another branch of the National Roman Museum, beside the station.
- Santa Prassede: a small church just around the corner, with glittering 9th-century mosaics.
- Monti: a neighbourhood of small streets, bars and restaurants on the way to the Colosseum.
Find more near this station on Santa Maria Maggiore on Around the Metro, or explore the full Rome metro map.