EuropeEvent

Fire destroys the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

When
1823
Where
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
Episodes
2

On 15 July 1823, a fire caused by a workman repairing copper gutters resulted in the near-total destruction of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. This event destroyed a structure that had preserved its original character for 1435 years, marking a significant loss for one of Rome's major papal basilicas.

Episodes

  1. 15 July 1823 · Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the WallsFire Destroys Basilica

    A workman repairing roof gutters started a fire on 15 July 1823, causing near-total destruction of the basilica.

  2. 15 July 1823 · Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the WallsDamage to Apse Mosaics

    The fire greatly damaged the apse mosaics, leaving only a few traces for later restoration.

Background and detail

The Fire. The destruction occurred on 15 July 1823. A workman repairing the copper gutters of the roof started a fire that led to the near-total destruction of the basilica. The fire severely damaged the mosaics of the apse, leaving only a few traces that were later incorporated into the restoration efforts.

Sources

  1. Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-29

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.