St. Peter's Basilica - A Vatican City Must-See When In Rome

by: JillKammer
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Any tourist to Rome will tell you that the attraction formerly known as Basilica di San Pietro and now called St. Peter's Basilica stands out as one of the best. In fact, there is so much to see at St. Peter's, you could spend an entire day here and still want to come back again. Of the many buildings in Vatican City, St. Peter's is one of the most popular and most frequently visited by tourists to Rome.

While the lore of the basilica holds that St. Peter's is the literal burial place for Saint Peter himself, there really is no scientific proof to back that claim up. Truthfully, the actual spot on which St. Peter's sits is the same location of the original Circus of Nero in the first century.

About 1000 years before St. Peter's was built, the site was dedicated for a basilica by none other than the Christian Roman Emperor Constantine.

Some 1200 years later in the sixteenth century, it was Pope Leo X who diverted funds from his appeal to the masses to go to holy war against the Turks. Those funds were quietly applied to the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

But as was the way with any very large and ambitious construction effort of that time, it took many, many years, many architects and many Popes before the job was done in the late 16th century.

Compared to other Roman buildings of that time, St. Peter's is very tall - standing an impressive 445 feet from the floor of the basilica to the beautiful cross at the top of that world famous dome. That dome is a beloved part of the skyline of Rome and it is a wonder of architecture in every respect. It was designed by probably the most well known Renaissance artist who served as chief architect on the project, Michelangelo. He developed and used a double shell design that he borrowed from a fellow architect of the time, San Gallo.

Even though Michelangelo was made the architect in charge of St. Peter's in 1546, the completion of the masterpiece came long after his death. With the passing of the great master, one of his students, Giacomo della Porta went on to complete the work in 1590. The design plans of the brilliant architects of St. Peter's are often utilized in other great buildings including the Capital Building in Washington DC.

That dome was a durable design and it was 200 years later that the first cracks showed up in the surface. To contain these cracks from doing any more damage, four huge chains of iron were attached to the inside of the shell. If you were to climb the winding stairs between the dome shells, you would still see those chains today.

As wonderful as it is to admire the magnificent dome at St. Peter's, there is so much more to see here. The building itself is so large it covers close to six acres and at full capacity it can seat 60,000 people. And over the centuries, many Popes have packed the basilica out for special ceremonies or when they held mass at this revered site.

The outer facade of the basilica is large as well, standing at 148 feet high and 377 feet wide and there are many statues gracing the outside of the building as well.

It is said that over 100 tombs of legendary figures from history are buried inside the halls of St. Peter's Basilica. One notable example is Sweden's Queen Christina, who in 1654 gave up her royal post so she could have the freedom to become a Catholic.

There is no question that the most well known and stunning art work inside St. Peter's is the Pieta by Michelangelo. But we will have to admire it through an insulated glass barrier that was put there after a lunatic tried to destroy the masterpiece with an axe.

When you step outside of the basilica you can find quite a few famous historical works of art that are visible around the building.

If you look, you can find several very old clocks including one with a bell that goes back all the way to the thirteenth century. You also won't have to look too hard to find the large Egyptian obelisk that adorns the grounds that was brought here from where it originally stood outside of Nero's Circus in the 13th century.

Look for the two fountains in the square of the basilica. The southern fountain was designed by the famous artist Bernini in 1675. Bernini made several contributions including the phenomenal Triumph of the Chair of Saint Peter which stands in the apse section of the basilica.

Your visit to Rome will take on new meaning if you allow at least a couple of hours to take your time and admire this awe inspiring example of Renaissance architecture in the Eternal City.

About the Author

If you're looking for cheap accomodation in Rome, consider the Vatican area, as it tends to be slightly cheaper. At Rome-Accom.com, we offer short term apartments in Rome for rental.  

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