A 5th-century basilica built to hold the chains of St Peter, and Michelangelo's most theatrical sculpture.
עודכן לאחרונה 23 באוגוסט 2026
In a nutshell: one church, two treasures: the chains said to have bound St Peter, and Michelangelo's colossal Moses - the centrepiece of an unfinished papal tomb. The basilica is free, quiet and five minutes from the Colosseum up the hill. Pair it with the Monti quarter or the Esquilino's basilica, and start from the district overview.
A 5th-century basilica built to house the shackles said to have bound St Peter when he was imprisoned in the Carcere Mamertino - 'in Vincoli' means 'in chains'. The chains arrived in two pieces and, according to legend, miraculously joined together when they were reunited. The church's theatrical centrepiece is Michelangelo's colossal Moses sculpture (1505), the centrepiece of his unfinished tomb for Pope Julius II: Michelangelo originally envisaged 40 statues but was sidetracked by the Sistine Chapel, and Julius ended up buried in St Peter's Basilica instead.
Official site →Look closely at Moses: the prophet strikes a muscular pose with well-defined biceps, a magnificent waist-length beard and two small horns on his head. The horns came from a mistranslation of a biblical passage describing rays of light issuing from Moses' face, rendered as 'horns'; Michelangelo was aware of the mistake and, devilishly, gave Moses horns anyway. Flanking him are statues of Leah and Rachel, probably completed by his students, while a statue of Julius II lolls somewhat saucily in the centre above.