• The memorial shrine over the tomb of St. Paul was replaced on November 18, 324 by a small basilica built by Emperor Constantine. Around this time Paul's body was moved into a bronze sarcophagus

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• Because of the number of visitors a larger basilica was needed so in 386 Emperor Valentinian II (375-392) made plans for a new building. Emperor Theodosius (379-395) began the project and Emperor Honorius (395-423) completed it in 395. Galla Placidia, sister of Honorius, financed the triumphal arch and the inscription on it records the event. The basilica was consecrated in 390 by Pope Siricius. Over the years it became greatly embellished

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• The basilica was pillaged in the 700s by the Lombards and in the 800s by the Saracens. Pope John VIII (872-882) thus surrounded it in 883 with a walled town called Johannipolis which lasted until 1348 when it was destroyed by an earthquake

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• In the late hours of July 15, 1823 the church burst into flame and was mostly destroyed. Workers had been fixing the roof and may have inadvertently dropped a coal. Pope Pius VII (1800-1823) was near death at the time and was not told of the disaster. Pope Leo XII  (1823-1829) was elected and wrote Ad plurimas to encourage the world to donate to the rebuilding. Architect Pasquale Belli and, later, Luigi Poletti rebuilt the basilica as similar to possible to the 4th century church. Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846) consecrated the transept on October 5, 1840. The construction was completed in 1854 and consecrated by Pope Pius IX (1846-1878) on December 10, 1854 with bishops and cardinals from around the world

 

• On April 23, 1821 a nearby gunpowder explosion destroyed the stained glass windows. King Faud I of Egypt donated the current alabaster panes