The Church of San Pietro in Vincoli

Visit Saint Peter in Chains in Rome: a beauty that lies within

Every year, thousands of visitors flock to the church of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome’s Monti, not so much for the church itself as for what it holds inside. Though it is named after St. Peter, his presence takes a back seat to what truly dominates the setting.

Founded in the 5th century by Empress Eudoxia, the church was built to house the relics that give it its name: beneath the high altar, a reliquary holds the chains that, according to tradition, bound Saint Peter in Jerusalem and in Rome’s Mamertine Prison.

The real showstopper, however, is the statue of Moses (c. 1513-1515) by Michelangelo. It was meant to be part of a monumental tomb for Pope Julius II with around 40 statues, a project scaled down again and again after the pope’s death and only completed in 1545. Julius II himself is not buried here, but in St. Peter’s Basilica. Look closely and you’ll notice two small horns on Moses’ head: they come from a mistranslation in the Latin Bible, where the rays of light on his face became “horns”. Some also believe Michelangelo hid profiles in the folds of the prophet’s beard.

How to get to San Pietro in Vincoli

San Pietro in Vincoli stands on Piazza di San Pietro in Vincoli, a small square on the Oppian Hill, very close to the Colosseum and the Monti neighborhood. The best way to get here is on foot: you can walk up from the Colosseum or from Via Cavour, taking the steps of Salita dei Borgia. The nearest metro stop is Cavour, on Line B.