San Pietro in Vincoli

The Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome, built in the 4th century by Licinia Eudoxia, is famous for housing the tomb of Julius II with the famous sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo. Beneath the basilica, archaeological excavations reveal an urban complex dating from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD. The church was destroyed and rebuilt between the 4th and 5th centuries, housing the chains traditionally associated with St. Peter. The symbolic connection of the chains from the East and West, during a period of severe difficulties, acquired political significance. The basilica has undergone restorations throughout the centuries, with the most significant one carried out under the papacy of Julius II in the 16th century. The current structure and cloister date from those restorations. After the unification of Italy, the convent was used as the headquarters of the Faculty of Engineering of La Sapienza.