Basilica of the Holy Cross. This church was one of the seven holy places pilgrims needed to visit to obtain indulgences. The name derives from the sacred relics of the True Cross brought to Rome by Saint Helen, mother of the Emperor Constantine.

They are still conserved here. The appearance of the church today, however, is the result of the 18th century restoration work. The curved lines of the façade are reminiscent of Borromini's architectural style from the preceding century, providing an excellent example of late Roman baroque.
The original structure goes back to St. Helen who decided to transform an atrium of her residence into a church.
Her home was an Imperial residence, the Sessorium, built between the end of the 2nd and the beginning of the 3rd centuries AD by Septimius Severus and Helagabalus.
It included a circus and a small amphitheater whose ruins can still be seen today, now incorporated into the Aurelian walls, just past the Church itself.