Saint Peter’s Basilica

In italian : Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano

The spiritual heart of Christianity located on the territory of the Vatican, St Peter’s Basilica is a must in Rome, both for what it represents and for the majesty of the building and St Peter’s Square. The building is really impressive by its dimensions and style, both outside and inside with a vastness and superb works of art and sculptures.

Presentation

It is the largest Christian church in the world, with a length of 186 meters, a nave 46 meters high, and a dome reaching 136 meters. The latter is the highest in Rome, and the law prohibits any construction that would exceed it. The interior can accommodate 20,000 people on an area of 22,000 m².

Saint Peter’s Basilica

The first basilica was built by Emperor Constantine around the year 320 AD, where the tomb of Saint Peter, who was martyred with other Christians, was located near the circus of Nero. For nearly a thousand years, the monument was enlarged and enriched, but also looted and degraded.
The first major restoration took place in the 15th century by Pope Nicholas V, under the direction of Leon Battista Alberti and Bernardo Rossellino. But at the beginning of the 16th century, Pope Julius II demolished the building and asked Bramante to rebuild it with a Greek cross plan. When the Pope died, the project was changed to a Latin cross and entrusted to Raphael. Later, Peruzzi and Michelangelo succeeded him. The new Basilica of Saint Peter was consecrated in 1626.
The design of the dome is by Michelangelo, its realization was completed by Giacomo Dalla Porta in 1589.
The interior is attributed to Bernini who worked in the basilica for twenty years. We also owe him the design of Place Saint-Pierre with its astonishing quadruple colonnade.

Saint Peter of Rome preserves many precious works of art, including ten thousand square meters of mosaics, Michelangelo’s Pieta, Bernini’s baldachin, Carlo Fontana’s Monument to Christine of Sweden and the one dedicated to the Countess Mathilde by Canossa.

Photo gallery

Informations

Timetable of the basilica

• The basilica usually opens from 7 am to 7:10 pm (Free admission)
• The dome opens in summer from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, in winter from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm (Ticket needed)

Links

• Official website et virtual tour on vatican.va
• en.wikipedia.org

Map

Address : Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano

Propositions of guided tours

Selection of hotels

Selection of hotels, chambers or apartments near Saint Peter’s square, ordered by price or by distance.

• Good hotels and accommodation sorted BY PRICE (2 adults) less than 600 meters from Saint-Peter
• Good hotels and accommodation sorted BY DISTANCE from Saint-Peter square