Location: Basilica di San Pietro

St Peter’s was a “building site” for a period of 176 yeas from when Nicholas V decided to build this impressive basilica situated in the Vatican City.
The present church stands on the ruins of the ancient Early Christian church dedicated to Peter and which contained the tomb of the apostle. The dome of St Peter’s, which was designed by Michelangelo and completed by Fontana and Della Porta, dominates all of Rome and can be seen from many parts of the city. St Peter’s is reached from Via della Conciliazione and the square that awaits you, in front of the basilica, was designed by Bernini. This square is enclosed by a marvellous colonnade and inside we can find two fountains (the work of Maderno and Domenico Fontana) and the central obelisk. In the background you can see the facade of the basilica which was designed by Maderno and completed in 1614.
Inside the portico, there are five doors which open onto the basilica. The door to be found at the far right is the Holy Door (Porta Santa) which is officially opened by the Pope at the beginning of a Jubilee year, during a special ceremony held on Christmas Day. The interior of the building is very suggestive and in the space under the dome we can find Bernini’s extremely beautiful canopy.


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