This church is dedicated to St Stephen of Hungary and St Stephen the Deacon. It is the Hungarian national church. It is the largest circular church in existence, having a diameter of 64 meters (210 feet).
The first church was consecrated in the time of Pope St Simplicius I (468-483) to hold the relics of St Stephen, protomartyr of the Church. It was decorated by Pope John I (523-526) and Pope Felix IV (526-530). The colonnades were altered by Pope Innocent II (1130-1143), when a series of transverse arches were introduced to support the roof. It was restored by Pope Nicholas V in 1543. The work was carried out by Bernardo Rosselino.
A central circular area is emcompassed by concentric inner and outer ambulatories.
Keywords: Roma, Italy, ceremonial, religious structures, Santo Stefano Rotondo al Celio, paintings. Submitted by Robert Livesey.