San Sebastiano al Palatino

where: Via di San Bonaventura

getting there: Metro Linea B Colosseo, then head towards the Colosseum

information: walk down Via Sacra (the street behind the Arco di Costantino, near the Colosseum) then onto Via di San Bonaventura which is a dead-end street. The church is surrounded by the archaeological area of the Palatine Hill and Forum. There is no entrance onto this street from the Palatine Hill.

open: unsure

San Sebastiano al Palatino was constructed on the site of a former 10th century church that had been erected on the complex of the Temple of Elagabalus from the 3rd century (CE).

Rebuilt by the Barberini family it was completed in 1631 during the reign of Barberini pope, Urban VIII. It was dedicated to Saint Sebastian as it was also said to be the area that the martyred saint survived being shot by arrows.

The facade celebrates the construction with Barberini bees and the Barberini family coat-of-arms.

Inside

The apse frescoes survived the church rebuilding and date to the 10th century.

Baroque frescoes by Bernardino Gagliardi decorated the interior.