Basilica of St. John Lateran (San Giovanni in Laterano)

The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Rome and holds the title of 'mother church' of the Roman Catholic faithful; its ancient origins and later medieval and Baroque reconstructions mark it as a site of primary ecclesiastical importance. Many pilgrims on the Via Francigena regard a visit to San Giovanni in Laterano as an essential part of completing their journey to Rome.