Church of San Stefano Rotondo

The Church of San Stefano Rotondo is a historic church with a unique circular plan, making it the oldest church with a circular plan in Rome. The church features a portico with five arches on tall ancient granite columns with Corinthian capitals, and a majestic interior with a ring of twenty-two fine marble columns that separate a large central area, creating two circular walkways around the high altar. The church is surrounded by a garden and is accessible through one of the vaults of Nero's extension of the Claudian aqueduct, surrounded by Roman walls. The church also features several artworks, including frescoes by Antonio Tempesta and a cycle of martyrdom by Pomarancio and Matteo da Siena. Additionally, the church has a small head of Christ and Byzantine mosaics from the 7th century A.D. The church's history dates back to the 5th century, and it has undergone several restorations and renovations over the centuries, including the addition of the entrance portico and the three magnificent transversal arches of the internal area