19 Essential Italian Churches

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Milan Cathedral

The Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, features an octagonal structure with arched windows and brick walls, surrounded by a cobblestone courtyard and trees.

The ornate facade of San Giovanni in Laterano church in Italy, featuring tall columns, arched doorways, and statues lining the roof above the entrance.

Basilica of Santa Croce

San Marco Basilica

The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe near Ravenna, Italy, features a brick facade with arched windows and a round bell tower, surrounded by trees and greenery.

The Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy, features a tall bell tower and ornate facade with a rose window, overlooking a valley and surrounding countryside.

The Church of the Gesu in Rome, Italy, with its ornate Baroque facade illuminated by bright morning sunlight, stands between neighboring buildings.

The Florence Baptistery of Saint John in Italy, an octagonal building with green and white marble exterior, arched windows, and ornate bronze doors, stands in a city square.

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Images

Milan Cathedral

Milan Cathedral

Milan Cathedral, Milan, Italy.

© Gentian Polovina—EyeEm/Getty Images

The Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, features an octagonal structure with arched windows and brick walls, surrounded by a cobblestone courtyard and trees.

Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy

Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy.

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The ornate facade of San Giovanni in Laterano church in Italy, featuring tall columns, arched doorways, and statues lining the roof above the entrance.

Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome

Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome, Italy.

© Atlantide Phototravel— Corbis Documentary/Getty Images

Basilica of Santa Croce

Basilica of Santa Croce

Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence, Italy, possibly designed by Arnolfo di Cambio,...

© Marcel Sarkozi/Fotolia

San Marco Basilica

San Marco Basilica

San Marco Basilica and square in Venice.

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The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe near Ravenna, Italy, features a brick facade with arched windows and a round bell tower, surrounded by trees and greenery.

Basilica of Sant'Apollinare

Dating from the 6th century, the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, near Ravenna,...

© OlegAlbinsky— iStock/Getty Images

The Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy, features a tall bell tower and ornate facade with a rose window, overlooking a valley and surrounding countryside.

Basilica of San Francesco

St. Francis of Assisi is buried in the papal basilica built in his honor in Assisi,...

© Wessel Cirkel/Dreamstime.com

The Church of the Gesu in Rome, Italy, with its ornate Baroque facade illuminated by bright morning sunlight, stands between neighboring buildings.

Church of the Gesù, Rome

Facade of the church of the Gesù, Rome, designed by Giacomo della Porta, 1575; the...

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The Florence Baptistery of Saint John in Italy, an octagonal building with green and white marble exterior, arched windows, and ornate bronze doors, stands in a city square.

Baptistery of St. John, Florence

Baptistery of St. John, Florence, Italy.

© Vvoevale—Dreamstime.com

The Duomo

The Duomo

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo) in Florence, constructed between 1296...

© Karel Miragaya—EyeEm/Getty Images

The Milan Duomo, a grand Gothic cathedral with ornate spires and detailed facade, stands in a large open square with people and surrounding historic buildings in Milan, Italy.

Milan Cathedral

The Milan Duomo, or Milan Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece.

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Ornate interior of the Cathedral of Monreale near Palermo, Sicily, featuring high arches, marble columns, gold mosaics, and a richly decorated apse.

Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily

Interior of the cathedral of Monreale, near Palermo, Sicily, Italy.

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The Pantheon in Rome, Italy, with its large portico of Corinthian columns and domed rotunda, stands in an open cobblestone square at sunrise.

Pantheon, Rome

Pantheon, Rome, Italy.

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The Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Italy, features a grand baroque facade with a central bell tower and people gathered in the square in front.

Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome

Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy.

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Panoramic view of Siena Cathedral with its ornate facade and tall striped bell tower in Piazza del Duomo, Tuscany, Italy, illuminated by the warm light of sunset.

Siena Cathedral

Siena Cathedral, Siena, Italy.

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Interior view of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, showing its ornate frescoed ceiling and walls covered with detailed biblical scenes and figures.

Sistine Chapel

Interior of the Sistine Chapel, in the Vatican Palace, Vatican City.

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Statue of St. Paul stands in a manicured courtyard before the main facade of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, featuring columns and colorful mosaics.

Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, Rome

Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, Rome, Italy.

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St. Peter's Basilica with its large dome rises above surrounding buildings in Vatican City, viewed from the rooftop of Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, Italy.

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

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The Church of Santa Fosca and the Cathedral of Torcello in Italy, featuring Romanesque brick facades, arched porticos, and a central bell tower, surrounded by trees and open courtyard.

churches of Torcello

Churches of Santa Fosca (right) and Santa Maria Assunta (Torcello Cathedral; left...

© Maremagnum—Corbis Documentary/Getty Images

Front view of the Cathedral of Turin with its tall bell tower, facing a large open square under a clear blue sky.

Turin Cathedral, Turin, Italy

Turin Cathedral, Turin, Italy.

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