St. Peter's Basilica, Papal basilica in Vatican City
St. Peter's Basilica is a Renaissance church in Vatican City with a Latin-cross plan and a central dome rising above the crossing. Its broad facade carries an inscription honoring Pope Paul V and the Borghese family, dated 1612, and is topped by a balustrade with statues. Inside, the nave is flanked by wide aisles and chapels, and the dome's four piers hold colossal statues of Longinus, Helena, Veronica, and Andrew.
Pope Julius II ordered the replacement of the fourth-century Constantinian basilica, and construction began on 18 April 1506. Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, and Carlo Maderno led the design in turn; Michelangelo took charge in 1547 and shaped the dome. The basilica was completed on 18 November 1626, and Bernini later laid out the square and its colonnades.
The basilica is not the cathedral of Rome: that title belongs to the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, while Saint Peter's serves as the main papal church for most ceremonies. In the apse, the Chair of Saint Peter is held in a bronze reliquary supported by figures of the Doctors of the Church, lit by a window showing the Holy Spirit. The chair itself was a gift from Charles the Bald.
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.
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