St. Peter's Basilica, Catholic basilica in Vatican City.
St. Peter's Basilica is the largest Christian church in the world.
The construction of the current basilica began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626.
It is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic shrines and has been described as 'holding a unique position in the Christian world'.
Visitors can climb to the top of the dome for a panoramic view of Rome.
St. Peter's Basilica stands over the historical site where Peter, the apostle who is considered the first pope, was crucified and buried.
Location: Vatican City
Inception: April 18, 1506
Founder: Julius II
Architects: Michelangelo, Giuliano da Sangallo, Donato Bustamante, 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
Height: 136.6 m
Length: 220 m
Width: 150 m
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Material: cement, marble
Opening Hours: April-September: Monday-Sunday 07:00-19:00; October-March: Monday-Sunday 07:00-18:30
Phone: +390669883465
Website: vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_pietro/index_it.htm
Sources: Wikimedia, OpenStreetMap
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St. Peter's Basilica is the largest Christian church in the world.
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is a glorious piece of Renaissance artwork created by Michelangelo.
The Pietà is a work of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.
The Last Judgment is a fresco by Michelangelo covering the whole altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
Saint Peter's Tomb sits directly beneath the high altar of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
The dome of St. Peter's Basilica is one of the largest domes in the world.
St. Peter's Baldachin is a large Baroque sculpted bronze canopy, technically called a ciborium or baldachin, over the high altar of St. Peter's Basilica.
The Vatican Necropolis stands beneath St. Peter's Basilica and includes tombs and mausoleums.
The Chair of Saint Peter is a wooden throne that was traditionally believed to have been used by Saint Peter, the leader of the Apostles.
The Vatican Grottoes are a vast underground graveyard beneath St. Peter's Basilica.
