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St Peter’s Basilica, Rome

Landmark

St Peter’s Basilica

Rome · Lazio

QUICK INFORMATION

CATEGORY
Landmark
COUNTRY
Italy
REGION
Rome · Lazio
DURATION
3 days

ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION

St Peter’s Basilica is the central church of Roman Catholicism and the largest church in the world, built over 120 years on the site where St Peter is traditionally believed to have been crucified and buried. The present building replaced the 4th-century Constantinian basilica beginning in 1506, with Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo and Bernini all contributing; Michelangelo’s dome dominates the Rome skyline, and inside are his Pietà, Bernini’s bronze baldacchino over the high altar, and the confessio marking St Peter’s tomb below. The basilica opens onto Bernini’s enclosing colonnade in St Peter’s Square, where the pope addresses the crowds.

HISTORY & BACKGROUND

The story behind it

Constantine built the first basilica over St Peter’s tomb in the 320s, and it stood for over a thousand years before Pope Julius II decided to replace it entirely in 1506. Bramante designed a Greek-cross plan with a central dome; after his death the work passed through Raphael, Sangallo and others until Michelangelo took it over in 1546, redesigning the dome and simplifying the plan. The nave was extended westward by Maderno in the early 17th century, producing the Latin-cross form and the present façade, and Bernini added the baldacchino, the Cathedra Petri and the colonnaded square in the decades that followed. The church was consecrated in 1626.

WHAT TO SEE

What to see here

01

Michelangelo’s Pietà — the sculptor’s early masterpiece, carved when he was 24, now behind glass in the first chapel on the right.

02

The dome — climb the 551 steps (or take the lift partway) to the lantern for the closest view of Michelangelo’s design and a panorama across Rome.

03

Bernini’s baldacchino — the 29-metre bronze canopy over the high altar, cast partly from bronze taken from the Pantheon’s portico.

04

The confessio and St Peter’s tomb — the chapel below the high altar marking the apostle’s grave, with the Vatican necropolis below it.

05

St Peter’s Square — Bernini’s elliptical colonnade of 284 columns, built to embrace the crowds gathered to receive the pope’s blessing.

WHY IT MATTERS

Why it matters

St Peter’s is the architectural and spiritual centre of the Catholic Church, and the building in which the ambitions of the Renaissance and Baroque popes are most visibly concentrated. It is also a museum of its own making: the work of Bramante, Michelangelo and Bernini is visible in a single visit, and the dome that Michelangelo designed became the model for domes across the world. For a visitor of any faith or none, the scale and the craftsmanship make it the single most overwhelming interior in Rome.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Before you go

Access
Entry to the basilica is free; a modest dress code applies (no bare shoulders or knees). Security screening is at the square.
Dome
The dome climb is ticketed separately and has limited opening hours; book in advance. The view from the top is one of the best in Rome.
Grottoes
The Vatican grottoes, holding papal tombs, are usually open to visit below the basilica. The deeper Vatican necropolis requires advance booking.
Context
The basilica faces St Peter’s Square in the Vatican; the Vatican Museums are a short walk around the walls.

MAP & LOCATION

St Peter’s Basilica

St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Lazio, Italy

41.9022, 12.4539

Open in OpenStreetMap

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THINGS TO DO

Things to do nearby

01

Walk the historic centre from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona

02

Cross the Tiber to Trastevere at dusk

03

Explore the Appian Way and the catacombs

FOOD & DRINK

Where to eat nearby

01

Roscioli — a celebrated salumeria and trattoria near Campo de’ Fiori, Roman pastas and a peerless cheese counter

02

Armando al Pantheon — classic Roman cooking a stone’s throw from the Pantheon, book ahead

03

Da Enzo al 29 — the most loved of Trastevere’s honest trattorias, no-fuss carbonara and saltimbocca

04

Pizzarium — Gabriele Bonci’s by-the-slice pizza al taglio near the Vatican, arguably Rome’s best

05

Two Sizes — thin Roman-style pizza by the slice, eaten standing, near the Spanish Steps

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HOTELS & STAYS

Where to stay nearby

01

Hotel Locarno — a Liberty-style hotel near Piazza del Popolo, with a leafy courtyard and a rooftop

02

Hotel Raphael — a boutique hotel off Piazza Navona with a rooftop terrace over the rooftops

03

The Fifteen Keys Hotel — a small design hotel in Monti, a quiet base within walking distance of the Forum

04

Generator Rome — a stylish hostel near Termini, good value for a central stay

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NEARBY DESTINATIONS

Continue the journey

Tivoli

Tivoli

Lazio

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Campania

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Tuscany

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