St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

In 315, Constantine ordered to build a basilica where St Peter sepulchre was. Mid c XV the original church was in bad conditions and pope Nicholas V ordered its reconstruction.

Bramante designed the new basilica, he supervised the demolition of part of the old church. He was very criticized because many works was destroyed. The new basilica took 150 years being buit.

En el ano 315, Constantino ordeno construir una basilica donde estaba el sepulcro de San Pedro. A mediados del siglo XV la iglesia original estaba en muy malas condiciones y el para Nicolas V ordeno su reconstruccion.
Bramante diseno la nueva basilica, superviso la demolicion de parte de la vieja iglesia, cosa que fue muy criticada porque se destruyeros muchas obras. Se tardo 150 anos en construir la nueva basilica.

You can see it inside St. Peter's Basilica. The Pieta was carved out of a single block of Carrara marble by Michelangelo who added his signature, including the adjective Florentine, on the Madonna's sash. It is the only signed work by Michelangelo. The 21 yr old Michelangelo worked for two years, from 1498-1500 to complete this statue.

This is the balcony where Pope Benedict XVI first came out as the new Pope to greet the all the well wishes in the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

It is this balcony where the Pope's will often appear to lead the prayers with all the Catholics who come from all over the world to congregate here.

St Peter was allegedly buried here in A.D. 64 near the site of his execution (at Circus of Nero, where he was, in theory, crucified). In 324 Constantine, after his battle field epiphany, commissioned a basilica to be built over St Peter's tomb. This was the starting point of what you visit today.

The present basilica was mostly completed in the 1500s and 1600s and is predominantly High Renaissance and baroque. The inside of the church is massive with work by the great artists: Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Maderno. A piece of the original cross of Christ and the rag that Mary wiped the blood off Christ's brow are also apparently located here behind doors above you in the middle of the church.

If you go down to the Vatican grottoes you can see the tombs of the popes plus, behind a wall of glass, is what's assumed to be the tomb of St. Peter himself. To go even farther down, to the necropolis vaticana, the area around St. Peter's tomb, you must apply in advance at the Ufficio Scavi (tel. 06-69885318). For 10euros , you'll get a guided tour of the tombs that were excavated in the 1940s, about 7 metres beneath the church floor.

St Peter's is prided (one of the 7 deadly sins?) as being the biggest church in the world. The floor is marked with how big some of the other more notable churches around the world compare to St Peter's incl St Paul's (London) & Notre Dame (Paris) which both fall well short of the massiveness of St Peter's.

Be warned - you cannot enter here wearing shorts or a short skirt. The guards also usually require upper arms to be covered. No matter how hot it is outside this strict dress code is always enforced.

The foundation of the Vatican, the rock on which it was built, is the tomb of Peter, the apostle who came to Rome from Palestine. During the reign of Constantine the Great a small monument was erected on the spot; all that remains today of this monument are a few archaeological finds, with mosaic decorations added at a later date. The monument indicated the site of Peter's tomb, later, over the centuries, an altar was built ot honor it, a canopy to exalt it, a dome to glorify it and a Basilica for the pilgrims and the liturgy of the Roman clergy and people.

I couldn't help but feeling that a piece of heaven must look something like this. I was in stunned awe for most of the tour.

The Pope will give his blessings from a window facing the Piazza San Pietro.

Be sure to dress conservatively, as you may not be allowed inside otherwise.

Open 7:00am-7:00pm daily (October through March it closes early at 6:00pm)

There are so much to see outside St. Peter's and inside St. Peter's. There are mumified saints and "giant size" marble cherubic angels. You can feel the holy inspiration of Michaelengelo everywhere. It is just amazing to be at St. Peter's.

Christ aside, the basilica's namesake St Peter, is arguably the central focus of attention inside the basilica - at least for Catholic pilgrims. And this attention is manifested by kissing and touching the foot of a 13th century bronze statue of St Peter near the high altar.