San Giorgio in Velabro
San Giorgio in Velabro
4.5
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Neighbourhood: Aventine
Contrary to the chaos of the city, the Aventine is Rome’s oasis. A neighbourhood made up of a patchwork of ancient churches, hidden gardens, private homes and embassies, peace and quiet is top priority and the vibe definitely friends and family. Take a walk around the Aventine and you’ll find a treasure hunt of surprises like the clever little keyhole at the Knights of Malta entrance (the only place you’ll find a line) along with Parco Savello (Giardino degli Aranci) next to the ancient Santa Sabina church. Keep your eyes on the 1960s architecture, several modern buildings are built atop Rome’s original 4th century BC wall.
How to get there
- Fori Imperiali-Colosseo • 9 min walk
- Colosseo • 9 min walk
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
91 reviews
Excellent
44
Very good
37
Average
10
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Terry M
Hamilton, Canada4,638 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
Located near the Arch of Janus, the exterior is more interesting than the simple interior. A fascinating piece of myth says the she wolf found Romulus and Remus nearby.
Written 5 April 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.
The Spanish Steps Apartment
Rome, Italy29,249 contributions
Nov 2022
A lovely ancient church, this version dating from the 7th century. Always quiet and peaceful. Today, we were the only ones there. Off to one side is the Arch of the Money Changers, and nearby Is the Arch of Janus. Well worth a visit if in the area.
Written 16 November 2022
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.
Birgitta-Kenneth
Solna, Sweden1,479 contributions
Oct 2022
Old church with a history from the year 400 approximately. when it started as an oratory and later became a church
Written 30 October 2022
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
Monaco32,617 contributions
Jun 2020 • Friends
This small church is located behind the Arch of Janus, its construction probably dates back to the sixth century, but was rebuilt during the pontificate of Pope Leo in 682.
Its name derives from "Velabrum", the river swamp where Faustulus would have found Romulus and Remus.
In the 13th century, the Romanesque bell tower with four floors of three-mullioned windows and the portico with four columns with Ionic capitals were added.
The church underwent numerous restorations over the years.
Inside, the church houses the remains of St. George under the altar.
The interior has a double row of marble and granite columns of different origins and shapes, which divide it into three naves.
Sadly known for having been hit by an explosion due to a car bomb parked near the portico which almost caused the total collapse of the porch in front of the church, it has returned to its original splendor.
It was in fact reopened on 6 July 1996, after three years of work, completely renovated.
It is a church rich in history and houses an exceptional fresco by Pietro Cavallini in the apse.
Very simple but very beautiful: you can breathe an atmosphere of a bygone era, you feel a rare silence and spirituality in this church.
We loved it.
Recommended.
Its name derives from "Velabrum", the river swamp where Faustulus would have found Romulus and Remus.
In the 13th century, the Romanesque bell tower with four floors of three-mullioned windows and the portico with four columns with Ionic capitals were added.
The church underwent numerous restorations over the years.
Inside, the church houses the remains of St. George under the altar.
The interior has a double row of marble and granite columns of different origins and shapes, which divide it into three naves.
Sadly known for having been hit by an explosion due to a car bomb parked near the portico which almost caused the total collapse of the porch in front of the church, it has returned to its original splendor.
It was in fact reopened on 6 July 1996, after three years of work, completely renovated.
It is a church rich in history and houses an exceptional fresco by Pietro Cavallini in the apse.
Very simple but very beautiful: you can breathe an atmosphere of a bygone era, you feel a rare silence and spirituality in this church.
We loved it.
Recommended.
Written 15 August 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, GA13,464 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
According to the founding legend of Rome, the church was built where Roman history began: it is here that the she-wolf found Romulus and Remus
The first religious building on this site, a Diaconia (a religious building for the purpose of serving the infirm and the poor), is believed to date from the 1st century AD based on a 482 inscription found in the catacombs of St. Callixtus. It is believed a basilica was built here by Pope Gregory the Great between 590 and 604 AD, making this one of the oldest churches in Rome.
The current church was built during the 7th century, possibly by Pope Leo II, who dedicated it to Saint Sebastian. Its plan is irregular, indeed slightly trapezoidal, as a result of the frequent additions to the building. The interior columns are almost randomly arranged having been taken from sundry Roman temples as was the practice of the time.
The church was inside the Greek quarter of Rome, where Greek-speaking merchants, civil and military officers and monks of the Byzantine Empire lived. Pope Zachary (741-752 AD), who was of Greek origin, moved the relic of St. George here from Cappadocia.
After a restoration of Pope Gregory IV (9th century), the church received the addition of the portico and of the tower bell in the first half of the 13th century. The apsis was decorated with frescoes by Pietro Cavallini in the 13th century.
In 1347, the Roman patriot Cola Di Rienzo posted a manifesto announcing the liberation of Rome on the doors of this church.
Between 1923 and 1926, the Superintendent of Monuments of Rome, Antonio Muñoz, completed a more radical restoration program, with the aim of restoring the building's "medieval character" and freeing it from later additions. This was done by returning the floor to its original level (and so exposing the column bases) reopening the ancient windows that gave light to the central nave, restoring the apsis, and generally removing numerous accretions from the other most recent restorations. During this process, fragments (now displayed on the internal walls) were found indicating a schola cantorum on the site, attributed to the period of Gregory IV.
The building as we see it today is largely a product of the 1920s restoration. However, five years' further restoration followed the explosion of a car bomb, parked close to the facade, at midnight on 27 July 1993. That explosion caused no fatalities but left the 12th century portico almost totally collapsed and blew a large opening into the wall of the main church, as well as doing serious damage to the residence of the Generalate of the Crosiers (Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross) next door.
The Ministry of Cultural Heritage researched and catalogued what was damaged or destroyed, placing the fragments in 1050 crates with dates and locational references before restoring the building with them, although some details, particularly in the portico, were deliberately left unrestored as a memorial to the bombing.
The first religious building on this site, a Diaconia (a religious building for the purpose of serving the infirm and the poor), is believed to date from the 1st century AD based on a 482 inscription found in the catacombs of St. Callixtus. It is believed a basilica was built here by Pope Gregory the Great between 590 and 604 AD, making this one of the oldest churches in Rome.
The current church was built during the 7th century, possibly by Pope Leo II, who dedicated it to Saint Sebastian. Its plan is irregular, indeed slightly trapezoidal, as a result of the frequent additions to the building. The interior columns are almost randomly arranged having been taken from sundry Roman temples as was the practice of the time.
The church was inside the Greek quarter of Rome, where Greek-speaking merchants, civil and military officers and monks of the Byzantine Empire lived. Pope Zachary (741-752 AD), who was of Greek origin, moved the relic of St. George here from Cappadocia.
After a restoration of Pope Gregory IV (9th century), the church received the addition of the portico and of the tower bell in the first half of the 13th century. The apsis was decorated with frescoes by Pietro Cavallini in the 13th century.
In 1347, the Roman patriot Cola Di Rienzo posted a manifesto announcing the liberation of Rome on the doors of this church.
Between 1923 and 1926, the Superintendent of Monuments of Rome, Antonio Muñoz, completed a more radical restoration program, with the aim of restoring the building's "medieval character" and freeing it from later additions. This was done by returning the floor to its original level (and so exposing the column bases) reopening the ancient windows that gave light to the central nave, restoring the apsis, and generally removing numerous accretions from the other most recent restorations. During this process, fragments (now displayed on the internal walls) were found indicating a schola cantorum on the site, attributed to the period of Gregory IV.
The building as we see it today is largely a product of the 1920s restoration. However, five years' further restoration followed the explosion of a car bomb, parked close to the facade, at midnight on 27 July 1993. That explosion caused no fatalities but left the 12th century portico almost totally collapsed and blew a large opening into the wall of the main church, as well as doing serious damage to the residence of the Generalate of the Crosiers (Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross) next door.
The Ministry of Cultural Heritage researched and catalogued what was damaged or destroyed, placing the fragments in 1050 crates with dates and locational references before restoring the building with them, although some details, particularly in the portico, were deliberately left unrestored as a memorial to the bombing.
Written 4 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.
Dimitris L
Sydney, Australia44,501 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
San Giorgio in Velabro is quite an old church, dating to the 7th century. It has undergone a few transformations since that time, and time as well as people have not always been kind to the building. Apparently it was linked to the Greek residents of the city back in those old days, particularly travellers and merchants. It is located close to the Tiber River, near the Arch of Janus (Arco di Giano), on the Via del Velabro. Worth having a look if you are in the area.
Written 22 October 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.
The Spanish Steps Apartment
Rome, Italy29,249 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
The church of St. George is located behind the Arch of Janus, not far from the Tiber. The rather simple interior uses columns taken from ancient temples. A very peaceful church to visit. The ancient Arcus Argentariorum (arch of the moneychangers) is attached to the side of the church, behind a fence.
Written 10 April 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.
Della G
Coquitlam, Canada808 contributions
Nov 2016 • Family
One of my favorite churches situated in the ancient Roman velabrum. The church was incorporated with the ancient roman arch of the money changers (Arcus Argentariorum) and was dedicated to St. George. The church dates back to the 7th century and over time, it has been renovated. The interior is very simplistic and its lack of ornate decoration truly reflects a genuine place for worship. The church interior has columns taken from roman temples. These columns really enhances the simplistic beauty of the church. It has survived a terrorist attack in 1993 and even though it has been renovated, it still retains an understated elegance to it.
Written 19 January 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.
KTGP
Adelaide, Australia5,904 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
Located just behind The Arch of Janus is the plain but lovely Chiesa di San Giorgio in Velabro, built 7th century. It was originally dedicated to St Sebastian, who was thrown into the Cloaca Maxima, which is near the church. Decoration on the church comes from an ancient Roman temple. Part of the skull of St. George, lies beneath the altar, it was brought to Rome by Pope Zacharias in the 8th century. In 1993 a car bomb explosion, totally destroyed the 12th century portico and blew a hole in the wall of the church. The church was fully restored and reopened on 6th July 1996.
Attached to the side of the church is the Arcus Argentariorum, built 204, not an arch but rather a gateway. It was built by the cattle merchants and bankers/money changers of the Forum Boarium, in honour of Emperor Septimius Severus. There are many reliefs including some of Septimus and his sons Caracalla and Geta, as well as Caracalla’s wife and her father. After Caracalla murdered his brother, wife and her father, he had all traces of them erased, (damnatio memoriae) from the arch. Hercules also features, as legend has him resting after his 10th labour nearby. Fortunately the arch was not damaged in the 1993 bombing.
Attached to the side of the church is the Arcus Argentariorum, built 204, not an arch but rather a gateway. It was built by the cattle merchants and bankers/money changers of the Forum Boarium, in honour of Emperor Septimius Severus. There are many reliefs including some of Septimus and his sons Caracalla and Geta, as well as Caracalla’s wife and her father. After Caracalla murdered his brother, wife and her father, he had all traces of them erased, (damnatio memoriae) from the arch. Hercules also features, as legend has him resting after his 10th labour nearby. Fortunately the arch was not damaged in the 1993 bombing.
Written 18 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.
Llewellyn53
Melbourne, Australia4,193 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
Just around the corner from the farmers market and behind the Arco di Giano is a little church with a Roman arch attached. Apparently this church was regularly flooded so it has had several rebuilds. Interesting to note that the builders appear to have run out of corinthian column capitals and used ionic.
Written 10 April 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions about San Giorgio in Velabro
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