Chiesa di San Silvestro

The Church of San Silvestro in Tivoli is a Romanesque building with late-twelfth-century frescoes depicting Christ, the Apocalypse and the legend of Constantine and Pope Sylvester.

Why it matters

The church preserves an unusually complete medieval painted programme that combines devotional imagery with a political narrative about papal authority. Its frescoes provide a rare record of Romanesque painting in the Tivoli area.

What to notice

On the triumphal arch, Christ blesses among the Evangelists and the twenty-four elders of the Apocalypse. The apse includes Christ, the apostles and the Lamb of God. Narrative scenes depict the legend of Constantine and Pope Sylvester. A Cosmatesque pavement and a small opening toward the crypt are also preserved.

Context and history

Tradition attributes the church's foundation to Pope Simplicius, who was from Tivoli, but this account is not securely documented. The building visible today is a single-nave Romanesque church with a crypt beneath the altar. Its presbytery frescoes date to the end of the twelfth century. The church has undergone later restoration, while its connection with the Basilica of San Lorenzo remains part of its diocesan history.