Basilica di San Vitale
The early Christian basilica of San Vitale dates back to the 4th century and was originally dedicated to Saints Gervasius and Protasius. It was restored by Pope Leo III (795-816), then again in the Middle Ages and completely rebuilt by Popes Sixtus IV (1475) and Clement VIII (1595): the latter reduced the church to a single nave, instead of the original three, and led to the disappearance of the portico, which was closed off and reduced to a vestibule of the church. In 1859, Pius IX had the characteristic access staircase built, which is located below the church due to the rise in the street level following the construction of the Via Nazionale. The restoration work carried out in 1937-38 restored the original portico.
