Lateran is the common name for the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome. It is the cathedral church of the pope in his role as bishop of Rome. The name Lateran comes from Lateranus, the name of an ancient noble Roman family. The family’s house stood on the site of the present church.
The original basilica was built on land donated by Emperor Constantine the Great in 313. The church was destroyed and rebuilt several times in the next 1,300 years. In the 1640’s, architect Francesco Borromini remodeled the building in the baroque style, adding much of its elaborate interior decoration. The building owes much of its present appearance to Borromini’s work. A new facade (front) was added in 1735. The church was extensively restored in the late 1800’s.
Next to the basilica is the octagonal baptistery of St. John, a building in which baptisms were performed. The structure dates back to the time of Constantine. Also near the church is the Lateran Palace, which was the home of the popes from the 300’s until 1305. The palace burned down in 1308 and was not rebuilt until the 1580’s. It now houses church administrative offices. In 1929, the Lateran Treaty between Italy and the Roman Catholic Church made the three Lateran buildings part of the Vatican state.
