Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
One of the four pilgrimage churches in Rome, the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore was constructed in the 4th century. Unlike most of Rome's churches, it still retains its original shape, although the façade was changed considerably in the 18th century. It is nearly the only place to see the design of the earliest Christian churches in the city. The bell tower was added in the 14th century, and is the tallest in Rome. The real beauty of the cathedral is on the inside. It is said that the gold which covers the ceiling is some of the first to have been brought to Italy from the New World. Of special interest are the mosaics, portraying scenes from the Old Testament and the tomb of Bernini, the artist who built so many of the fountains and plazas of Rome. The Sistine Chapel, the last one on the right, contains the tombs of Popes Sixtus V and Pius V.