{"id":3296,"date":"2012-10-12T12:58:27","date_gmt":"2012-10-12T11:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/walks.friday.ie\/?p=3296"},"modified":"2026-05-24T14:22:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T13:22:32","slug":"st-peters-basilica-facts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts","title":{"rendered":"6 Surprising Facts About St Peter&#8217;s Basilica"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica, the ultimate symbol of the Vatican, is the spiritual heart of the Catholic world and one of the most recognisable buildings on the planet. It attracts millions of visitors every year. But beyond the jaw-dropping architecture and famous artworks lies a history that is just as extraordinary as the building itself.\u00a0 A history involving Roman emperors, Renaissance geniuses, buried saints and more!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22594\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22594\" class=\"wp-image-22594 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/copula-1.jpg\" alt=\"Various people sitting on benches in a park space with St Peter's Basilica dome in the background.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/copula-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/copula-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22594\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">You can catch a glimpse of St Peter\u00b4s Basilica on the skyline from almost anywhere in Rome<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#Essential_Facts_About_St_Peters_Basilica\" >Essential Facts About St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#When_was_St_Peters_Basilica_built\" >When was St. Peter\u2019s Basilica built?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#How_tall_is_St_Peters_Basilica\" >How tall is St. Peter\u2019s Basilica?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#6_Surprising_Facts_About_St_Peters_Basilica\" >6 Surprising Facts About St Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#1_This_isnt_the_original_St_Peters_Basilica\" >1. This isn&#8217;t the original St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#2_St_Peters_Basilica_isnt_a_cathedral_or_the_official_seat_of_the_Pope\" >2. St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica isn&#8217;t a cathedral or the official seat of the Pope<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#3_Berninis_baldacchino_is_the_largest_bronze_structure_in_the_world\" >3. Bernini&#8217;s baldacchino is the largest bronze structure in the world<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#4_None_of_the_paintings_inside_the_basilica_are_actually_paintings\" >4. None of the paintings inside the basilica are actually paintings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#5_Michelangelos_Pieta_is_shielded_by_bullet-proof_glass\" >5. Michelangelo&#8217;s Piet\u00e0\u00a0is shielded by bullet-proof glass<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#6_St_Peter_might_be_buried_beneath_the_basilica\" >6. St. Peter might be buried beneath the basilica<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#FAQs_%E2%80%93_Facts_About_Visiting_St_Peters_Basilica\" >FAQs &#8211; Facts About Visiting St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#Do_you_need_tickets_to_enter_St_Peters_Basilica\" >Do you need tickets to enter St. Peter\u2019s Basilica?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#What_are_the_opening_times_for_St_Peters_Basilica\" >What are the opening times for St. Peter\u2019s Basilica?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/st-peters-basilica-facts\/#Is_there_a_dress_code_to_visit_St_Peters_Basilica\" >Is there a dress code to visit St. Peter\u2019s Basilica?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"1jqv73c\" data-start=\"214\" data-end=\"276\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Essential_Facts_About_St_Peters_Basilica\"><\/span>Essential Facts About <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/span><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"278\" data-end=\"391\">Before we get into the surprising stuff, here are a few key facts about one of the most iconic churches on earth.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"8fd8ed\" data-start=\"393\" data-end=\"433\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_was_St_Peters_Basilica_built\"><\/span>When was St. Peter\u2019s Basilica built?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1389\" data-end=\"1718\">The current St. Peter\u2019s Basilica took an incredible <strong data-start=\"1441\" data-end=\"1463\">120 years to build<\/strong>, from <strong data-start=\"1470\" data-end=\"1486\">1506 to 1626<\/strong>, and involved some of the greatest artistic minds in history, including <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Donato Bramante<\/span><\/span>, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Michelangelo<\/span><\/span>, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Carlo Maderno<\/span><\/span>, and <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Gian Lorenzo Bernini<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1720\" data-end=\"1965\">But the site itself is much older. For nearly 1,700 years, Christians have worshipped here, ever since Emperor <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Constantine the Great<\/span><\/span> built the original church in the 4th century over what was believed to be the tomb of St. Peter.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1720\" data-end=\"1965\">This means is have essentially been one of Christianity\u2019s most important sacred sites for nearly <strong data-start=\"1032\" data-end=\"1047\">1,700 years<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_3386\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3386\" class=\"wp-image-3386\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/vatican-st-peters.jpg\" alt=\"The interior of St Peter\u00b4s Basilica , with sunlight streaming through the windows of its dome and highlighting the baldacchino canopy at the altar below. There are people visiting as tourists below who are dwarfed by the scale of the building and its decoration\" width=\"800\" height=\"451\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-3386\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The rays of sunlight highlight the famous baldacchino canopy, created by Bernini, showing the sheer scale and size.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"14ehe5\" data-start=\"1050\" data-end=\"1087\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_tall_is_St_Peters_Basilica\"><\/span>How tall is St. Peter\u2019s Basilica?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"92\" data-end=\"296\">The basilica\u2019s famous dome rises to <strong data-start=\"128\" data-end=\"153\">452 feet (138 metres)<\/strong>, making it one of the tallest church domes in the world and one of the defining features of the <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Rome<\/span><\/span> skyline.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"298\" data-end=\"550\">But that\u2019s just the beginning. St. Peter\u2019s stretches <strong data-start=\"351\" data-end=\"376\">730 feet (220 metres)<\/strong> from end to end, more than <strong data-start=\"403\" data-end=\"431\">two football fields long, <\/strong>and covers over <strong data-start=\"448\" data-end=\"494\">163,000 square feet (15,160 square metres)<\/strong>, enough space to hold around <strong data-start=\"524\" data-end=\"541\">60,000 people<\/strong> at once.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"552\" data-end=\"814\">Inside, the sense of scale continues. Bernini\u2019s spectacular <strong data-start=\"612\" data-end=\"627\">Baldacchino<\/strong>, the bronze canopy above the papal altar, stands at <strong data-start=\"680\" data-end=\"703\">96 feet (29 metres), <\/strong>roughly the height of a <strong data-start=\"728\" data-end=\"750\">10-storey building<\/strong>. It only looks modest because the dome above it is so enormous.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"816\" data-end=\"1023\">Even the details are giant: the letters circling the inside of the dome look elegant and delicate from the floor, but each one is actually about <strong data-start=\"961\" data-end=\"987\">7 feet (2 metres) tall<\/strong>\u2014roughly the height of an adult man.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1025\" data-end=\"1196\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">That\u2019s one of St. Peter\u2019s greatest tricks: it constantly fools your sense of scale. Everything feels beautifully balanced\u2014until you realise just how colossal it really is.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17348\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17348\" class=\"wp-image-17348 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Walks_Vatican-Highlights-WEB-0011.jpg\" alt=\"The interior of the dome in ST Peter\u00b4s Basilica, looking from below with an arched section above, and seeing the golden ring adorned with words, and the mosaic and windows above. one of the facts about st peter's basilica is that each of the words int his gold band is as tall as a man\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17348\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The intricate ceiling and dome designed by Michelangelo<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Surprising_Facts_About_St_Peters_Basilica\"><\/span>6 Surprising Facts About St Peter&#8217;s Basilica<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here are 6 surprising facts about St Peter&#8217;s Basilica that you might not know about!<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_This_isnt_the_original_St_Peters_Basilica\"><\/span>1. This isn&#8217;t the original St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The imposing church you see today isn&#8217;t the original basilica of St. Peter. It&#8217;s actually&#8230; number two! The reason? The original church was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine, the Roman empire&#8217;s first Christian emperor, on the spot where St. Peter was thought to be buried.<\/p>\n<p>By the early Renaissance, though, the ancient church was in serious disrepair and was badly deteriorating. Rather than patch it up, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Pope Julius II<\/span><\/span> made the bold decision to tear it down and start over. The result? Sadly, thousands of pieces of priceless ancient art, from glittering early Christian mosaics to marble tombs, frescoes, and centuries-old sculptures, were lost forever during the demolition of Old St. Peter\u2019s, a decision that sparked controversy even at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Some Romans were horrified that a church standing for over a millennium could simply be torn down.But Pope Julius II was thinking bigger, much bigger.<\/p>\n<div class=\"\" data-turn-id-container=\"request-6a0da788-7bf8-83eb-a229-413335a8534a-20\" data-is-intersecting=\"true\">\n<section class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-6a0da788-7bf8-83eb-a229-413335a8534a-20\" data-turn-id-container=\"request-6a0da788-7bf8-83eb-a229-413335a8534a-20\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-48\" data-scroll-anchor=\"false\" data-turn=\"assistant\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" tabindex=\"0\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"52f18177-44c3-4964-a52a-329b066b39aa\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-5\" data-turn-start-message=\"true\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling\">\n<p data-start=\"427\" data-end=\"1040\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">What rose in its place would become one of the greatest architectural achievements in history. Built between <strong data-start=\"536\" data-end=\"553\">1506 and 1626<\/strong>, the new basilica brought together a dream team of Renaissance and Baroque talent, including <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Donato Bramante<\/span><\/span>, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Michelangelo<\/span><\/span>, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Carlo Maderno<\/span><\/span>, and <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Gian Lorenzo Bernini<\/span><\/span>. The result was not just a replacement church, it was a statement of power, faith, and artistic ambition on an unprecedented scale, designed to inspire awe in everyone who entered. More than 500 years later, it still does exactly that!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_3297\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3297\" class=\"wp-image-3297\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Rome-St.-Peters-Basilica-In-Morning-Moon-over-church-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Vatican church\" width=\"1200\" height=\"887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Rome-St.-Peters-Basilica-In-Morning-Moon-over-church-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Rome-St.-Peters-Basilica-In-Morning-Moon-over-church-768x567.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Rome-St.-Peters-Basilica-In-Morning-Moon-over-church-1536x1135.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-3297\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica isn&#8217;t just beautiful&#8230; it&#8217;s fascinating!<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_St_Peters_Basilica_isnt_a_cathedral_or_the_official_seat_of_the_Pope\"><\/span>2. St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica isn&#8217;t a cathedral or the official seat of the Pope<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Even though St. Peter\u2019s is the pope\u2019s most famous church and the site of major papal ceremonies, it is <strong data-start=\"3291\" data-end=\"3298\">not<\/strong> the official cathedral of Rome, or even the highest-ranking church in the Catholic Church.\u00a0This surprises almost everyone.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3390\" data-end=\"3588\">That honour belongs to <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran<\/span><\/span>, often overlooked by visitors but considered the \u201cmother church\u201d of Catholicism, and one of the <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><a class=\"decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/churches-in-italy?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">most incredible churches in Italy<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>But because of the size of St. Peter&#8217;s, and its location next to the residence of the Pope, most of the Church&#8217;s most crucial ceremonies are held here instead, which is exactly why so many travelers choose to <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><a class=\"decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/visiting-st-peters-basilica?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">visit St Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/a><\/span> when they come to Rome.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_3756\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3756\" class=\"wp-image-3756 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/view-of-Basilica-di-San-Pietro-nightVatican-City-in-Rome-Italy.jpg\" alt=\"St Peter\u00b4s Basilica, illuminated by lights at night\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/view-of-Basilica-di-San-Pietro-nightVatican-City-in-Rome-Italy.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/view-of-Basilica-di-San-Pietro-nightVatican-City-in-Rome-Italy-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-3756\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">St Peter\u00b4s Basilica, beautifully illuminated at night<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Berninis_baldacchino_is_the_largest_bronze_structure_in_the_world\"><\/span>3. Bernini&#8217;s <em>baldacchino<\/em> is the largest bronze structure in the world<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"136\" data-end=\"290\">The four-poster, solid-bronze canopy over the main altar, known as the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/St._Peter%27s_Baldachin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong data-start=\"206\" data-end=\"236\">Baldacchino of St. Peter\u2019s, <\/strong><\/a>appears almost dwarfed by the dome towering above it.\u00a0But don\u2019t be fooled. It stands <strong data-start=\"323\" data-end=\"346\">96 feet (29 metres)<\/strong> tall, about the height of a <strong data-start=\"374\" data-end=\"396\">10-storey building, <\/strong>making it the <strong data-start=\"411\" data-end=\"464\">largest bronze structure of its kind in the world<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"467\" data-end=\"656\">It took nearly <strong data-start=\"482\" data-end=\"496\">nine years<\/strong> to complete, from <strong data-start=\"515\" data-end=\"531\">1625 to 1634<\/strong>, and used around <strong data-start=\"549\" data-end=\"586\">100,000 pounds (45,000 kilograms)<\/strong> of bronze, roughly the weight of <strong data-start=\"619\" data-end=\"655\">seven London double-decker buses<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"658\" data-end=\"818\">Its four dramatic spiral columns each rise around <strong data-start=\"708\" data-end=\"731\">66 feet (20 metres)<\/strong> and were designed to look like giant twisting ribbons reaching upward toward the dome.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22601\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22601\" class=\"wp-image-22601 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/st-peter-bernini.jpg\" alt=\"Bernini's Baldacchino canopy, made of bronze and covered in gold accents and angels is 10 storeys tall, just one of the facts about St Peter\u00b4s Basilica that will amaze you\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/st-peter-bernini.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/st-peter-bernini-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22601\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bernini&#8217;s Baldacchino canopy in St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica is made put of bronze with gold accents and various small statues of angels.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_None_of_the_paintings_inside_the_basilica_are_actually_paintings\"><\/span>4. None of the paintings inside the basilica are actually paintings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Huh? No, really. Although, at first glance, the basilica&#8217;s interior appears to be elaborately decorated with paintings &#8211; from frescoes in the dome to the huge paintings hanging on the walls &#8211; it&#8217;s not.<\/p>\n<p>Every single one of those &#8220;paintings&#8221; is actually a mosaic, done with such painstaking detail, and such tiny <em>tesserae\u00a0<\/em>(the little pieces of glass making the mosaic up), that they only appear to be paintings.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17350\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17350\" class=\"wp-image-17350 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Walks_Vatican-Highlights-WEB-0016.jpg\" alt=\"Interior of St. Peter's Basilica Dome\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17350\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The interior of St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica Dome, looks like paintings, but it is actually decorated in mosaics<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Michelangelos_Pieta_is_shielded_by_bullet-proof_glass\"><\/span>5. Michelangelo&#8217;s <em>Piet<em>\u00e0<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>is shielded by bullet-proof glass<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica is the home to one of <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/vatican\/interesting-facts-about-michelangelo\">Michelangelo&#8217;s<\/a> most famous masterpieces, the\u00a0<em>Piet<em>\u00e0<\/em><\/em>\u00a0(which, by the way, he carved when he was only 24 years old).<\/p>\n<p>But not everyone&#8217;s been a fan of the stunning sculpture. In 1972, a mentally-disturbed man named Laszlo Toth attacked the sculpture with a hammer; he cracked off Mary&#8217;s nose and broke off her arm at the elbow.<\/p>\n<p>The sculpture was painstakingly restored and returned to St. Peter&#8217;s, but now, it&#8217;s protected by bullet-proof glass\u2014even as other priceless sculptures in St. Peter&#8217;s remain out in the open.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_3299\" style=\"width: 809px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3299\" class=\"wp-image-3299 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Michelangelo-Pieta.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"799\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Michelangelo-Pieta.jpg 799w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Michelangelo-Pieta-768x769.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-3299\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Pieta, in St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_St_Peter_might_be_buried_beneath_the_basilica\"><\/span>6. St. Peter might be buried beneath the basilica<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The reason why Emperor Constantine built the first St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica where he did, and why the &#8220;new&#8221; St. Peter&#8217;s was arranged with its altar directly over the same spot, was because this is where St. Peter&#8217;s bones were thought to lie.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, this was hard to prove. But in the 1940s, excavations were done on the rumored spot. And, in 1953, a set of bones were found. Testing revealed they belonged to a man in his 60s, the same age that Peter would have been. Earth was encrusted on the bones, and Peter originally was buried directly in the dirt. And the bones had remnants of purple thread, a color of cloth that only would have been used in ancient times to wrap the body of someone who was seen as royal (or holy). For these reasons, Italian archaeologist Margherita Guarducci, among others, argued that the bones belonged to St. Peter.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, others disagree &#8211; and it&#8217;s certainly not solid proof that the bones are St. Peter&#8217;s. But the findings don&#8217;t prove that the bones <em>don&#8217;t\u00a0<\/em>belong to St. Peter, either.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Insider tip:<\/strong> Today, visitors can actually <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><a class=\"decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/vatican-tours\/st-peters-basilica-tour-dome-crypts\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tour the dome and crypts of St Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/a><\/span> to explore both the basilica\u2019s soaring heights and its fascinating underground necropolis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_12184\" style=\"width: 2058px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12184\" class=\"wp-image-12184 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Basilica-Vatican-City-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"The dome of St Peter\u00b4s Basilica, with the smaller figurine sculptures that line the roof in the foreground\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1367\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Basilica-Vatican-City-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Basilica-Vatican-City-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Basilica-Vatican-City-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12184\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A series of figurine sculptures or statues line the roof in front of the famous dome!<\/p><\/div>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"18agcyp\" data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"60\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_%E2%80%93_Facts_About_Visiting_St_Peters_Basilica\"><\/span>FAQs &#8211; Facts About Visiting <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/span><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"1b1iytw\" data-start=\"62\" data-end=\"116\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_you_need_tickets_to_enter_St_Peters_Basilica\"><\/span>Do you need tickets to enter St. Peter\u2019s Basilica?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"117\" data-end=\"358\">No, entry to St. Peter\u2019s Basilica is <strong data-start=\"153\" data-end=\"171\">free of charge<\/strong>. However, security checks are mandatory, and queues can be long, especially during peak season. If you want to skip the stress, many visitors choose a guided tour or early morning entry.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"1i1x11a\" data-start=\"365\" data-end=\"421\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_opening_times_for_St_Peters_Basilica\"><\/span>What are the opening times for St. Peter\u2019s Basilica?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"422\" data-end=\"461\">St. Peter\u2019s Basilica is generally open:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"462\" data-end=\"559\">\n<li data-section-id=\"a1t7o3\" data-start=\"462\" data-end=\"512\"><strong data-start=\"464\" data-end=\"474\">Daily:<\/strong> 7:00 AM \u2013 7:00 PM (April\u2013September)<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"kbh4by\" data-start=\"513\" data-end=\"559\"><strong data-start=\"515\" data-end=\"525\">Daily:<\/strong> 7:00 AM \u2013 6:30 PM (October\u2013March)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"561\" data-end=\"690\">Last entry is typically about <strong data-start=\"591\" data-end=\"623\">30\u201360 minutes before closing<\/strong>, and hours may change during religious events or papal ceremonies.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"dd7ic3\" data-start=\"697\" data-end=\"753\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_there_a_dress_code_to_visit_St_Peters_Basilica\"><\/span>Is there a dress code to visit St. Peter\u2019s Basilica?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"754\" data-end=\"825\">Yes. As it is an active place of worship, visitors must dress modestly &#8211; shoulders must be covered, no shorts or skirts above the knee and no low-cut tops.\u00a0Security may refuse entry if the dress code is not followed, so it\u2019s worth planning ahead before you arrive, or taking a wrap or scarf that you can use to cover up if required.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_3302\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3302\" class=\"wp-image-3302 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Piazza-St.-Pietro-view-from-the-top-of-Saint-Peters-Basilica-Vatican.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Piazza-St.-Pietro-view-from-the-top-of-Saint-Peters-Basilica-Vatican.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Piazza-St.-Pietro-view-from-the-top-of-Saint-Peters-Basilica-Vatican-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-3302\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The view from the top of the dome of St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica (now you know how big it is!)<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Ready to see it for yourself?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1870\" data-end=\"2071\">Of course, you can admire <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica<\/span><\/span> on your own, but to really understand what you\u2019re looking at, from Michelangelo\u2019s dome to the hidden papal tombs below, nothing beats a guided visit.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1870\" data-end=\"2071\">The best way to understand the scale, history, and secrets of St. Peter\u2019s is with one of our <strong>expert-led <span class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"><a class=\"decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/vatican-tours\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vatican City tours<\/a><\/span>,<\/strong> which bring the stories behind the stones to life.\u00a0Expert local guides bring centuries of history, art, and intrigue to life, and take you places most visitors miss, including up into the dome and down into the crypts.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1870\" data-end=\"2071\"><strong>It\u2019s the difference between simply seeing St. Peter\u2019s, and truly understanding it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div style=\"display: none;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-7870\" src=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/walks-pinterest-735-X-1500-17-502x1024.png\" alt=\"St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is one of the most well-known churches the in the world. But believe it or not, there is still a lot you don't know about it. Find out it's secrets!\" width=\"502\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, the ultimate symbol of the Vatican, is one of the most beautiful buildings in Rome. But with a history stretching back 2,000 years, it\u2019s also simply fascinating! Here are 6 surprising facts you might not have known about the \u201ccathedral\u201d of St. Peter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[87,68,20,80,69,18,230,19,211],"ppma_author":[155],"class_list":["post-3296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-culture","tag-architecture","tag-art","tag-attractions","tag-churches","tag-history","tag-rome","tag-st-peters-basilica","tag-vatican","tag-vatican-city"],"authors":[{"term_id":155,"user_id":3,"is_guest":0,"slug":"walksofitaly","display_name":"Walks of Italy","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9f4cd4dd0c5ab4b4bae57f3500298e23?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog","last_name":"of Italy","first_name":"Walks","job_title":"","description":"Walks began life as the passion project of two guys with one simple mission: To share their love for, and knowledge of, the city of Rome. Since then, Walks has grown into a team of over 100 ground staff and at any time up to 600 guides, operating across 13 of the world\u2019s most exciting cities (and counting!)\r\n\r\nToday we provide some of the most exclusive and beautifully designed small group tours in the industry through Italy-based Walks of Italy and around the world at Walks, where we offer special access to some of the world\u2019s most iconic landmarks and attractions as well as unique cultural experiences."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3296"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3296"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3296\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25467,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3296\/revisions\/25467"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3296"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=3296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}