St. Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter’s Basilica is the largest and most important basilica in the Catholic world. Its spectacular interior is placed under the dome designed by Michelangelo. The construction of basilica started in 1506 and it was completed only in 1626, which makes it a mixture in style between late Renaissance and Baroque.

Quick facts

• Name: St. Peter’s Basilica
• Location: Rome, Italy
• Built 17th century
• Type of attraction: Architectural/Basilica
• Ticket price: Free

The interior is lavishly decorated and it hosts magnificent paintings and sculpture, including famous the Pietà of Michelangelo. Basilica is a global center of religious services during church holidays and masses are held by the Pope himself with public address on the square in front of the church.

The St. Peter’s Basilica is free to enter, however due to the enormous number of visitors, it is recommended that you take a guided tour to avoid the lines. There are numerous ways to attend: you can schedule a group guided tour or an audio tour; you can even combine a group visit to the Basilica with a tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, or visit the Vatican Mosaic Studio. You can also hire a private guide to accompany you on your visit and combine it with other sites.

Finally, if you want to get the most out of your visit to St. Peter’s Square, you can do it with the help of a private guide who can even combine it with a visit to the nearby Castel Sant’Angelo.

The Vatican Museums, one of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions, are within walking distance of St. Peter’s Basilica. Thousands of works of art have been gathered by the Catholic Church over the course of more than five centuries.

You can discover the Castel Sant’Angelo after leaving the Basilica of St. Peter and strolling along the Conciliation Avenue (Via della Conciliazione), which was created during the reign of Emperor Hadrian as his personal mausoleum and that of his family.

Later, this structure became a military structure, and in 403, it was incorporated into the Aurelian Wall. The fort became the property of the popes in the 11th century, when it was connected to the Vatican City by a fortified corridor known as the “Passetto.

Interesting facts about St. Peter’s Basilica

Here are some interesting facts about this amazing landmark:

• The St. Peters Basillica is home to over 100 tombs.
• Michelangelo’s Pietà is stored behind bulletproof glass to protect it from damage that happened already in 1972.
• It is believed that St. Peter was buried under basilica’s altar.

Read more: Interesting facts about St. Peter’s Basilica