Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

About this place

The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary the Great, also informally known as the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, is a Roman Catholic Papal Basilica and one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. The largest Marian church in Rome, it is regarded as the first Marian sanctuary and the mother of all Marian shrines. The shrine is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Snow. The Papal basilica is located in Piazza dell'Esquilino at the 15th administrative Rione district. Pursuant to the Lateran Treaty of 1929 between the Holy See and Italy, the basilica is in Italy and not Vatican City. As you explore, compare the building itself with its decoration and later additions. Differences in materials, forms and imagery can reveal successive periods of patronage, making the visit a way to understand how religious places evolved over time.