Basilicas in the Catholic Church
Basilicas are Catholic church buildings that have a designation, conferring special privileges, given by the Pope. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense. Basilicas are either major basilicas, of which there are four, all in the Diocese of Rome, or minor basilicas, of which there were 1,810 worldwide as of 2019.
Conopaeum (left), tintinnabulum (right), and a papal chair (middle), one of the privileges granted to a basilica
Archbasilica of St John Lateran 41°53′09″N 12°30′22″E / 41.88583°N 12.50611°E / 41.88583; 12.50611
St. Peter's Basilica 41°54′8″N 12°27′12″E / 41.90222°N 12.45333°E / 41.90222; 12.45333
Basilica of St Paul Outside-the-Walls 41°51′31″N 12°28′38″E / 41.85861°N 12.47722°E / 41.85861; 12.47722
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name to the basilica architectural form.
Digital reconstruction of the 2nd century BC Basilica Sempronia, in the Forum Romanum
19th century reconstruction of the 2nd century AD Basilica Ulpia, part of the Trajan's Forum, Rome
Ruins of Yererouk basilica 4th–5th century AD
Ruins of the late 5th century AD basilica at Mushabbak, Syria
