Remains of ancient papal palace found in Rome
Italy's Culture Ministry said Wednesday that remains of what appears to be a medieval palace have been excavated in Rome ahead of renovation work , where the popes lived before they made the Vatican their place of residence.
Photo: cultura.gov.it
Archaeologists in the square in front of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in the city center have discovered a complex architectural structure including walls believed to have protected the Patriarchio, a monumental basilica designed by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, Italy's culture ministry said in a statement.
“This is an extremely important find for the city of Rome and its medieval history, since large-scale archaeological excavations have never been carried out in the square in our time,” the ministry said.
The original structure of the building, built to honour Constantine's declaration of tolerance for Christianity in the Roman Empire in 313, was expanded in stages between the 9th and 13th centuries and housed the papal throne until 1305, when it moved temporarily to Avignon in France, the ministry added, Reuters reported.
The area around St John Lateran is being developed ahead of the Jubilee, an annual event that begins in December and is expected to attract more than 30 million pilgrims and tourists to the Italian capital.
During the Jubilee, Catholics can receive special indulgences, or absolution, if they fulfil certain conditions and perform good deeds or make a pilgrimage, Reuters reported.
Rome's long history of almost 2,800 years means that roadworks often lead to archaeological discoveries, Reuters recalls.
Other excavations near the Vatican, carried out as part of the construction of a road tunnel ahead of the Jubilee, have uncovered in recent weeks traces of an ancient Roman “fullonica,” or laundry, and a porticoed garden believed to have been used by the Emperor Caligula.