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Abstract: The prolonged reconstruction work for the basilica of Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome, which continued for more than a century after the disastrous fire of 1823, represented the last opportunity for the Papal States to be recognized as an independent political and religious entity, as well as being an unexpectedly clear indicator of the transformations that contemporary architecture was undergoing throughout Europe. The rebuilt basilica presented a new approach, setting aside the influence of renaissance traditions which had predominated over previous centuries in favor of a programmatic exercise which applied a scientific analysis of history in order to redesign less appreciated architectural styles and place emphasis on a rational method for the reawakening of memory. The resulting edifice - which Richard Krautheimer described as a ‘classical-christian temple’ - displays a variety of elements typical of Rome’s revival of early Christian styles: it’s genesis and international reactions, it’s different manifestations throughout the 19th century, the contribution of architects involved in the project, related exceptions and limits, and tendencies to fall back on common building practices of contemporary Rome.