Rome's greatest riches are its churches, ranging from the simple 12th century ones (often built over the remains of far older edifices) to the splendid ornate works of Baroque genius. As well as St Peter's and the other, smaller churches mentioned elsewhere, you should try to see San Giovanni in Laterano, seat of the Bishops of Rome. The 5th century octagonal Baptistery (damaged by a bomb in summer 1993) has 5th and 7th century mosaics while much of the rest of the interior was designed by Borromini. Nearby is the Scala Santa, the steps believed to have been trodden by Christ on his way to trial and brought to Rome by Emperor Constantine's mother, Helena. Today pilgrims ascend them on their knees. Helena also brought back the fragment of the true cross, now housed in a 1930s Fascist chapel at the church of San Giovanni in Gerusalemme.
Santa Maria Maggiore is another of Rome's earliest Christian basilicas, with more spectacular mosaics from the 5th and the 13th centuries.
The intriguing San Clemente has many layers; the most recent being a 12th century basilica with Masolino frescoes (currently undergoing restoration) of St Catherine. Below this lies a 4th century edifice with traces of 11th century frescoes on its walls and, below this is a mithraim in which the cult of Mithras was celebrated in Roman times. Santa Maria in Cosmedin, parts of which date from the 5th century, is most famous for the ancient drain cover imbedded in its wall. This is in the shape of a human face and, traditionally, would bite the hand of anyone who was not telling the truth. Roman soldiers used to bring their wives to the mouth when they returned from their campaigns and test whether they had been faithful in their absence.
