What is a basilica plan church?
Also, what makes a church a basilica?
A basilica is a church with certain privileges conferred on it by the Pope. Not all churches with "basilica" in their title actually have the ecclesiastical status, which can lead to confusion, since it is also an architectural term for a church-building style. Such churches are referred to as immemorial basilicas.
Correspondingly, what is the difference between a church and a basilica?
A cathedral is a church that's run by a bishop; it's the principal church within a diocese, the area of land over which a bishop has jurisdiction. The basilicas major are the four personal churches of the pope and are in and around Rome: the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, St. Peter's Basilica, the Basilica of St.
The basilica was a fundamental element of a Roman forum. It was used as a public building, much like the Greek stoa. It also served as a meeting place for administration, as a law court, and as a marketplace.