Saint Peter's Basilica, Major basilica in Vatican City
The basilica extends 220 meters in length and reaches a height of 136 meters. Its interior encompasses several chapels, monumental tombs, and a central dome that dominates the Roman skyline. The facade displays Corinthian columns and statues of Christ with the apostles. Marble, bronze, and gilded decorations adorn altars, floors, and vaults throughout the building.
Pope Julius II laid the foundation stone in 1506 for a new structure replacing a Constantinian church from the fourth century. Donato Bramante designed the initial plan, followed by Raphael and Antonio da Sangallo. Michelangelo took over direction in 1547 and shaped the dome. Carlo Maderno extended the nave in the early 17th century, while Gian Lorenzo Bernini completed the forecourt and colonnades.
This basilica serves as the setting for papal ceremonies, canonizations, and important liturgical celebrations. It receives millions of pilgrims annually and remains the spiritual center for Roman Catholics from all continents. Within its walls, pontifical masses, audiences, and major ecclesiastical gatherings take place, while its role as a pilgrimage destination has continued unchanged for centuries.
Access is available daily from 7:00 to 19:00 in summer and until 18:30 in winter. Entry is free, but strict dress codes apply: shoulders and knees must be covered. Security checks create wait times, especially during high season and Wednesday audiences. Metro line A stops at Ottaviano station, a ten-minute walk away. A separate ticket allows ascent to the dome.
The floor beneath the main altar contains archaeological excavations accessible since the 1940s, revealing a first-century tomb. Michelangelo's Pietà stands in the first chapel right of the entrance and remains the artist's only signed work. The sundial in the transept floor marks astronomical events and was installed in the 18th century.
Location: Vatican City
Inception: April 18, 1506
Founders: Julius II
Architects: Michelangelo, Giuliano da Sangallo, Donato Bramante, Raphael, Giovanni Giocondo, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, Baldassare Peruzzi, Bernardo Rossellino, Giacomo della Porta, Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, Pirro Ligorio, Carlo Maderno, Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Architectural style: Renaissance architecture, baroque architecture
Height: 136.6 m
Length: 220 m
Width: 150 m
Made from material: cement, marble
Part of: Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome
Website: https://vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_pietro/index_it.htm
GPS coordinates: 41.90222,12.45342
Latest update: November 27, 2025 19:14
Photo license: CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo license: CC BY-SA 4.0
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Rome contains over 900 churches that demonstrate two thousand years of sacred architecture, from Roman antiquity to the Baroque period. These buildings reveal the evolution of construction techniques and artistic expressions over the centuries. St. Peter's Basilica covers 20,000 square meters and features a dome designed by Michelangelo. The Pantheon retains its Roman dome with a 43-meter (141 feet) diameter, the largest ever constructed in unreinforced concrete. Major basilicas such as Santa Maria Maggiore showcase Byzantine mosaics from the 5th century beneath a Renaissance ceiling with gilded coffers. Saint Clement's Basilica in the Lateran overlays three levels of construction from the 1st to the 12th centuries, illustrating Rome's urban stratification. Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the city's oldest churches, presents medieval gilded mosaics, while Saint Peter's in Chains houses Michelangelo's Moses. These monuments help understand how Rome shaped European religious architecture for over fifteen centuries.
Rome combines ancient history with modern photography. The city presents monuments, fountains, squares and viewpoints to photographers. The Colosseum, Castel Sant'Angelo and Roman Forum display Roman architecture. The Vatican Museums and Piazza Navona showcase art. The Villa Borghese Gardens and Trastevere district complement the urban setting.
Sistine Chapel
117 m
The Creation of Adam
88 m
Sistine Chapel ceiling
88 m
Pietà
97 m
The Last Judgment
91 m
Saint Peter's tomb
10 m
St. Peter's Dome
26 m
St. Peter's Baldachin
10 m
Vatican Necropolis
14 m
Chair of Saint Peter
10 m
Mater Ecclesiae Monastery
258 m
Restoration of the Sistine Chapel frescoes
126 m
Vatican Grotto
7 m
Campo Santo Teutonico
126 m
Cappella Paolina
117 m
Tomb of the Julii
7 m
Sala Regia
125 m
Tomb of Pope Alexander VII
10 m
Vatican Christmas Tree
133 m
The Vision of Constantine
138 m
St Stephen of the Abyssinians
111 m
Organo della basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano
10 m
Sacristy of Saint Peter's Basilica
105 m
Vatican Necropolis
76 m
Fontana del Sacramento
135 m
Tomb of Leo XI
7 m
Tomb of Pius VII
57 m
Equestrian statue of Charlemagne
136 mReviews
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Incredibly beautiful! Free entry, but you need to be early if you don't want to be in line...
Beautiful building. Very busy at this location.
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