The shock of this careless fire, lead to donations from around the world to reconstruct the new basilica; Egypt’s Viceroy sent alabaster pillars, the Russian Emperor sent precious materials for the tabernacle and the Italian government constructed the main façade overlooking the River Tiber. The building was declared a national monument in 1840, but it wasn’t re-consecrated until 1855 when Pope Pius IX and fifty Cardinals sanctified the church. An explosion in 1891 destroyed all of the stained glass windows. During the reconstruction, the architects kept to the original design of one nave and four aisles and the door contains the leaves of the original 11th Century portico.

Much of the basilica is designed in a Neo-classical style and it still contains some extremely old works of art including the inscription on the triumphal arch by Galla Placidia, which depicts the Apocalypse of John. The cloister built by Vassalletto in the 13th Century is believed to be one of the most beautiful Medieval cloisters in the world. It consists of various shaped columns some of which contain inlaid glass mosaics. This decoration has also been used on the cloister’s architrave and inner framework. In December 2006, Vatican archeologists discovered a sarcophagus under the altar, which they believed may have contained the body of St Paul, although the sarcophagus has never been opened to check whether it holds human remains and it has only been exposed on one side.