St. Peter's Basilica
The Vatican's Renaissance basilica over the traditional tomb of Saint Peter.
Last updated
via Wikipedia: St. Peter's Basilica · see source
Where it is
Coordinates: 41°54′07″N 12°27′11″E (41.9020, 12.4530) · Open in OpenStreetMap
Coordinates and connected clubs: the infobox of Wikipedia: St. Peter's Basilica (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map: drawn by Codexery from OpenStreetMap tiles.
St. Peter's Basilica, formally the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, is an Italian Renaissance church in Vatican City, the tiny independent state surrounded by Rome. Its main designers were Donato Bramante, Michelangelo and Carlo Maderno, with the square and many fittings by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. By interior size it is the largest church in the world, and its dome dominates the skyline of Rome. Catholic tradition places the grave of Saint Peter, first Bishop of Rome, directly under its high altar, which makes the basilica one of the holiest Catholic shrines and a major destination for pilgrims.
Lore & Background
The present church replaced Old St. Peter's Basilica, raised in the fourth century by the emperor Constantine the Great. Plans for a new building were first made in the 15th century under Pope Nicholas V and taken up by Pope Julius II.
Work began on 18 April 1506 and was not completed until 18 November 1626. Early schemes called for a centrally planned church, and that intention still shows even though the final building has a lengthened Latin cross nave. Because of the link to Saint Peter, many popes, cardinals and bishops have been buried there since the Early Christian period.
Did You Know?
- Statues of Saints Peter and Paul, each 5.55 m tall, stand on the steps before the façade.
- In 1836 Pope Gregory XVI allowed any Catholic priest to say Mass at the altar of the Confessio.
- The nave has the highest barrel vault of any church.
- Statues in the dome's piers represent relics such as St. Veronica's veil and St. Longinus's spear.
More in Great Cathedrals
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: St. Peter's Basilica (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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