Which relic is kept inside the church?

The basilica preserves the chains that bound Saint Peter during his imprisonment in Jerusalem, kept in a reliquary under the main altar.

Why is the basilica called Basilica Eudossiana?

The name commemorates Empress Eudoxia, who gifted the Jerusalem chains to Pope Leo.

What is the story behind the joined chains?

According to tradition, the chains from Jerusalem miraculously fused with the chains from the Roman Mamertine Prison when Pope Leo held them together.

Where is the church situated in Rome?

The basilica stands on the Oppian Hill near Cavour metro station and close to the Colosseum.

Who designed the cloister and front portico?

Historical attribution credits the entrance portico to Baccio Pontelli and the cloister to Giuliano da Sangallo.

Rome · Italy

San Pietro in Vincoli: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Residents on the Oppian Hill climb steep stairways above the Cavour metro station, trading heavy Colosseum crowds for quiet residential alleys.

San Pietro in Vincoli · CC BY-SA 4.0

Map of places

Around here40

Exchange rate€0.89per 1 $EUR — the local currencyas of Nov 2, 2026

Within two hours

Sistine Chapel≈ 45 min St. Peter's Basilica≈ 45 min Vatican City≈ 45 min

About the place

San Pietro in Vincoli stands on the Oppian Hill as a minor basilica built to house the relic chains of Saint Peter.

The basilica, historically termed Basilica Eudoxiana, rose over older foundations to enshrine the chains linked to the liberation of Saint Peter. Empress Eudoxia received the Jerusalem iron and presented it to Pope Leo. According to local lore, the Jerusalem relic fused with the chains from the Mamertine Prison into an unbroken loop. The relic rests beneath the primary altar in a reliquary, drawing pilgrims up the Oppian Hill.

Read on

Repeated reconstructions shaped the church complex across multiple eras. Cardinal Della Rovere directed major rebuilding prior to his elevation to the papacy, adding the exterior portico attributed to Baccio Pontelli and a cloister linked to Giuliano da Sangallo. Architect Francesco Fontana later lowered the interior vault. For long-term residents, the site provides a calm retreat right beside Cavour metro station and the Colosseum.

Associations

Relic chains of Saint PeterPreserved under the main altar after Empress Eudoxia brought them from Jerusalem.
Giuliano da Sangallo cloisterRenaissance architectural addition completed during Della Rovere patronage.
Oppian Hill ascentSteep access paths require climbing stairs from the Cavour underground stop.
Mamertine fusion legendTradition recounts the miraculous joining of Roman and Jerusalem bindings.

Facts

Empress Eudoxia presented the relic chains of Saint Peter to Pope Leo after receiving them from Jerusalem.
The church cloister is attributed to Giuliano da Sangallo and the entrance portico to Baccio Pontelli.
The basilica stands on the Oppian Hill within walking distance of the Colosseum and Cavour metro station.
Architect Francesco Fontana lowered the nave vault during a major structural modification.

Updated September 9, 2026Source: Wikipedia

San Pietro in Vincoli: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

What is around40

San Pietro in Vincoli stands on the Oppian Hill as a minor basilica built to house the relic chains of Saint Peter.

Getting there and staying

Google reviews

Similar nearby