Saint Peter's Basilica, Major basilica in Vatican City
Saint Peter's Basilica is a papal basilica and parish church in Vatican City, standing as one of the largest Christian churches in the world. The building covers a floor area wider than a football field, and the dome rises above the central crossing with a diameter of 42 meters (138 feet). Rows of columns frame the nave and side chapels, while marble flooring in geometric patterns stretches beneath the vaulted ceiling.
Construction began under Pope Julius II in 1506 to replace a fourth-century church that had stood on the site since Constantine's time. Michelangelo took over the project in his seventies and designed the dome, though he did not live to see its completion. The building was finished in the early 1600s, and the colonnades framing the square were added later by Bernini.
Pilgrims from every part of the world gather here for mass, prayer, and moments of reflection before the tomb of Peter. Visitors kneel in silence, light candles, or join in the singing during services that take place throughout the day. On Wednesdays, crowds fill the square outside for papal audiences, while major feast days bring processions and ceremonies that spill out across the colonnades.
Dress modestly by covering shoulders and knees, as guards turn away visitors who do not follow these rules even if they have waited in line. Arrive early in the morning to avoid the longest waits at security, especially on Wednesdays when papal audiences draw extra crowds. Climbing the dome requires a separate ticket and involves narrow stairs, so be ready for a workout if you choose the walk instead of the elevator partway up.
A bronze statue of Saint Peter near the main altar has a worn right foot because visitors have touched and kissed it for centuries, believing the gesture brings blessings. Underground tours lead to the necropolis beneath the floor, where excavations uncovered ancient Roman tombs and what many consider the resting place of Peter himself. The enormous dome offers a view from the lantern at the top, but reaching it means squeezing through passages so narrow that only one person can pass at a time.
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: December 2, 2025 21:16
Photo license: CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo license: CC BY-SA 4.0
This collection brings together notable domes and cupolas from all continents, signs of diverse architectural traditions extending from the Vatican to Australia, Russia to the United Arab Emirates. From the famous dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome to the colorful domes of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in Saint Petersburg, the Renaissance dome of Florence Cathedral, to the cast-iron dome of the US Capitol in Washington, each structure tells a particular story and reflects the ambitions of its era. These buildings span several centuries of architectural innovation and serve various functions: religious structures like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque or the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Côte d'Ivoire, civil buildings such as Oxford's Radcliffe Camera or the Australian Exhibition Palace, and even thermal spas like Budapest’s Széchenyi Baths. Each dome illustrates construction techniques and aesthetic decisions specific to its culture, offering insight into skills that enabled the creation of these monumental coverings.
Circular architecture has fascinated builders since ancient times. This collection brings together Roman amphitheatres like the Colosseum, medieval towers such as the Round Tower in Copenhagen, baroque domed structures and modern constructions. The circular form offers practical advantages for acoustic properties, structural stability and optimal space usage. The selected buildings serve various functions: religious temples, fortifications, observatories, museums and event venues. Each example demonstrates how architects have adapted the circular form to local conditions and cultural requirements. From ancient stone structures to contemporary skyscrapers, this selection documents technical evolution across centuries.
Rome preserves more than 2,000 years of architectural history within its city limits, maintaining ancient temples and amphitheaters beside Renaissance churches and Baroque piazzas. The Roman Forum displays ruins from the first century BC through the fourth century AD, including government buildings and temples that formed the administrative heart of the Roman Empire. The Pantheon demonstrates Roman engineering with its concrete dome, while the Colosseum remains the largest ancient amphitheater ever built. The city evolved through subsequent centuries as papal patronage transformed medieval Rome into a showcase of Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture. The Vatican holds significant religious and artistic collections, including the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes and Saint Peter's Basilica, the world's largest church building. Throughout the historic center, public squares like Piazza Navona preserve the footprint of ancient Roman structures while displaying Baroque fountains by Bernini and Borromini. The Trevi Fountain draws thousands of visitors daily to its 18th century facade, and the Spanish Steps connect different elevation levels of the city. Rome's neighborhoods maintain traditional Italian life around these monuments, with restaurants, shops and residences occupying buildings from various historical periods.
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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