Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano

San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome is one of the four major basilicas of the Catholic Church. It was first built after Christianity was legalized in 313 AD and served as the residence of the popes for about a thousand years until the Vatican, and it remains the official cathedral of the Diocese of Rome. Inside stand statues of the twelve apostles, and the remains of Peter and Paul are kept beneath the altar, with weekday Mass held from 7 a.m. to noon. Visiting early in the morning avoids the entrance line shared with tour groups.