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Where is St. Peter's Church located? St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican: why it is worth visiting the main Catholic church in the world

Where is St. Peter's Church located? St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican: why it is worth visiting the main Catholic church in the world

Description of St. Peter's Basilica is a non-trivial task. Until recently, the main Catholic church in the world was the largest Christian religious building. St. Peter's Basilica is located in the possession of the Vatican State in the center of Rome.

History of the construction of St. Peter's Basilica

In the 1st century The Circus of Nero was located in this area. This notorious emperor organized not only performances and competitions there, but also demonstration executions of the first Christians. In 67, the most famous of them, the Apostle Peter, died here. He was crucified in an unusual way - upside down, because he considered himself unworthy to be executed like Christ. The tomb of the apostle became an object of secret worship.

After the victory of Christianity at the beginning of the 4th century. At the behest of Emperor Constantine, a large basilica was built over the grave, in which the main religious and secular ceremonies took place over the course of 5 centuries. The burials of the righteous also took place here, considering it an honor to be able to rest next to the apostle.

In the 9th century The basilica was plundered by the Saracens, after which they tried to reconstruct it. In 1506, Pope Julius II ordered the construction of a new temple, the like of which had never been seen in the world. Who built St. Peter's Basilica? There is no clear answer to this question. Famous architects took part in the design and construction of the structure, replacing each other.

The first architect, Bramante, designed the church in the form of a symmetrical (Greek) cross. Raphael, who continued the construction, decided to focus on a cross with an elongated side (Latin). The idea of ​​a dominant central dome belongs to Michelangelo, and it was realized by Giacomo della Porta. Carlo Maderna, who completed the construction, erected a massive western façade that hid most of the dome, which ceased to be the dominant feature of the structure. The consecration of the Cathedral took place in 1626.

Architectural solutions

The construction, which lasted more than a century, coincided with the transition from Renaissance ideas to architectural style early baroque. Therefore, features of both of these styles can be found in the architecture of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Main facade

Near the entrance to the Cathedral, on pedestals there are sculptures of the apostles - Peter with a key and Paul with a sword. The monumental façade, 45 m high and 115 wide, is topped with almost 6-meter tall figures of Jesus, 11 (except Peter) apostles and John the Baptist. The cathedral has 5 doors (portals), four of which were built relatively recently - in the 20th century.

The central portal is named Filarete after the Florentine master who created it. This door is the only one preserved from the old basilica of the 15th century. The upper bronze panels of the door depict Christ and the Madonna enthroned. In the middle are the apostles Peter and Paul, and at the bottom are scenes of their martyrdom. On top of the door is a marble bas-relief with the Apostle Peter receiving the keys. Opposite the Filarete portal is the famous Navicella mosaic, laid out by Giotto in the 13th century.

The Holy Portal is used once every quarter of a century. The stonework is being dismantled from the inside on the eve of the anniversary Christmas. At the end of the year, this door is walled up again. The Portal of Death is intended only for removing the body of a deceased pontiff. This door depicts relevant scenes - the death of Joseph, the Holy Sepulcher, the murder of Peter, as well as scenes of the sacrament of Communion. There is also a portal of Good and Evil and a door of Mysteries.

Dome

The height of the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral reaches 138 m from the outside and 119 m from the inside, and the diameter is 42 m. The dome is based on four massive columns. Along its frieze is a mosaic inscription quoting the words of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew about Peter, the Church and the keys to the Heavenly Kingdom. The authors of the 4 Gospels are depicted on the inner surface. Next to Mark, John and Luke are a lion, an eagle and an ox, respectively. These apocalyptic animals, according to Revelation, were seen by John at the throne of God. An angel is drawn next to the Evangelist Matthew leading his hand.

Under Pontiff Clement VIII, the dome of the cathedral was crowned with a cross. Lead caskets with relics were placed on it. From the balcony of the domed turret a memorable Roman panorama opens.

What's inside the Vatican Council

The interior of the Cathedral amazes with its size and splendor. Its length is 211.5 m, and its area is over 22 thousand m 2. 55 thousand people can be inside at the same time. This is more than all other major religious buildings can accommodate. The world's largest new church in Côte d'Ivoire, which in 1990 surpassed the Cathedral in height and area, but not in capacity, is no exception. On the floor of the central nave there are marks indicating the comparative sizes of other large churches that easily fit inside .

Another 400 thousand people can listen to the Pope on the square of the same name in front of the Cathedral, designed by the great architect and sculptor Giovanni Bernini.

There are always a lot of tourists inside the Cathedral, but its huge size eliminates the bustle. Along its perimeter there are richly decorated chapels with the tombs of Popes and royalty. They were created by outstanding masters. In the first Chapel of Mercy on the right is the famous marble sculpture “Pieta” (Lamentation of Christ), in which the genius of the young Michelangelo was manifested in full force. After being attacked by a vandal, it is displayed behind thick protective glass.

Bernini made a great contribution to the sculptural decoration of the interior. Above the main altar in the center of the Cathedral rises a 29-meter ciborium (canopy) created by him, crowned with statues of angels. It rests on four twisted columns. Their shape is not accidental: it repeats the columnar silhouette of the Jerusalem Temple of Solomon. Only the pontiff has the right to conduct worship here. From the main altar a staircase leads to the tomb (“Confessional”) of St. Petra.

Nearby there is a bronze figure of a seated St. Petra. Its authorship is attributed to a 13th-century Florentine sculptor. Arnolfo di Cambio. According to other sources, the statue was made back in the 5th century. in Syria. The feet of the sculpture shine from the numerous touches of those who made a wish.

Among the relics kept in the temple are the relics of St. John Chrysostom, and the spear of the Roman centurion Longinus, with which Christ was pierced on the cross. A five-meter statue of this centurion, made by Bernini, stands in a niche of one of the columns. Shocked by the martyrdom and resurrection of the Savior, of which he became an eyewitness, Longinus began to preach Christianity, and was executed for this.

The main nave of the Cathedral ends with an altar projection (apse) with a bronze gilded pulpit, created inXVII century Bernini, and is considered one of the pinnacles of his work. Hidden inside the pulpit is a wooden throne that belonged to the Apostle Peter. According to tradition, the place where the relic is stored should resemble its shape. Therefore, in the center of the pulpit there is a bronze throne with a bas-relief on the theme of the presentation of the keys to the apostle.

On both sides of the throne, Bernini placed 4 figures of the Doctors of the Church. Eastern teachers John Chrysostom and Athanasius the Great stand closer to the throne, and Ambrose of Milan and Aurelius Augustine, with their heads covered with Western mitres, stand with outside. Above the pulpit there is a stained glass window lined with alabaster plates, in the center of which is a dove shining in the sun's rays - a symbol of the Holy Spirit. From a distance it seems small, but its wingspan is about 3 m.

Chair of St. Petra is a symbol of the power of the pontiff. One of the titles of the Pope is “Successor of the Prince of the Apostles.” The account of the Roman pontiffs begins with Peter.

How to get to St. Peter's Basilica

This can be done by several types of public transport:

  • take metro line A to Ottaviano station;
  • by trolleybus number 19 to the Piazza Risorgimento stop;
  • by buses no. 32, 49, 62, 81, 590, 271 until Wednesday Via della Conciliazione.

Opening hours of St. Peter's Basilica- from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in high season and until 6 p.m. in low season. The observation deck is closed for 1 hour 15 minutes. earlier. Entrance to the Cathedral is free, but to the site - not. You have to pay 6 EUR for the ascent on foot, and 8 EUR for using the elevator. Only physically fit people who can climb more than 500 steps will be able to save money. Tourists should keep in mind that the last section of increasingly narrower steps is climbed independently in both cases. You have to almost crawl through the very narrow steps that complete the climb.

To minimize queue time, it is recommended to avoid Wednesdays (the day of worship and papal audience) and Sundays. It's better to come before opening or in the afternoon. Tourists who have completed their tour of the Vatican Museums enter the Cathedral without a queue. True, it is difficult for a person to cope with such a huge emotional load.

A visit to St. Peter's Cathedral will be as educational as possible as part of the excursion. For a two-hour excursion you will need to pay 80 EUR.

When visiting, the dress code standard for religious buildings applies. Shoulders, arms and legs must be covered; for women, hair must be covered. Men, on the contrary, must remove their hats. Tourists pass through a turnstile with a metal detector.

Near the Cathedral there is a Vatican post office. From here you can send a postcard with a special stamp confirming dispatch from the Vatican territory.

The symbol of the High Renaissance and, probably, the heart of the Catholic Church can be called St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. It is not only the most famous architectural monument, but also the embodiment of the vigorous activity that developed at that time, both artistic and political, and popes, and the artists themselves, and in general the atmosphere that reigned at that time in Italy.

The cathedral is huge, it is one of the largest churches in the world. It is 220 meters long, 150 meters wide, and its maximum height in the dome is 136.6 meters. It can accommodate 60 thousand believers, and the square in front of the temple can simultaneously accommodate another 400 thousand people. Once upon a time, a huge, largest temple in the world, and for a long time this threshold was not blocked, was Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, and the entire medieval world, of course, was amazed at its dome and its capacity. But St. Peter's Cathedral broke this record too.

Once upon a time, this place was the site of the gardens of Nero's circus. An obelisk remains from that time. It was brought from Heliopolis and now stands in St. Peter's Square. It was taken out some time ago in antiquity, and at its base, it was believed, I don’t know how confirmed this is, that the ashes of Julius Caesar rested. This combination of antiquity, early Christian times (because the first basilica appeared here in early Christian times), and the Renaissance, and then subsequent eras, including the Baroque, which is also noted here - this whole mix of the history of European culture is very much felt in the Cathedral of St. Petra.

Ancient St. Peter's Basilica

The first basilica appeared here in 326–330, during the reign of Emperor Constantine. The altar of the cathedral was placed above the burial, which already in the 2nd century. It was revered as the grave of the Apostle Peter, who died in 66 in Nero’s circus. As you know, Peter was crucified upside down. And now, perhaps, the second generation of Christians revered this place as the tomb of the Holy Apostle Peter. Here is a reconstruction of this basilica with such a typical atrium in front of the temple, such a classic early Christian basilica, going back to the ancient basilicas. In 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne in this basilica.

But during its existence, the basilica burned several times, was restored again, and by the 15th century. It was completely dilapidated and was already threatening to collapse. Therefore, Pope Nicholas V began to rebuild and expand it. On behalf of Pope Leon Battista Alberti examined the basilica and reported that the walls of the nave deviated at the top by as much as two meters, i.e. indeed it was ready to collapse. Therefore, the pope decides to reconstruct the basilica.

Project of the century

But Pope Julius II acted even more radically. He decided not to reconstruct the basilica, but to dismantle it and build on this site the most grandiose temple, which would be larger than all the Christian and even ancient temples in the world. Those. again we see the claims of the High Renaissance to the greatest, the largest, the most grandiose, the very-most-most. And if you compare the really real, now existing St. Peter's Cathedral and the archaeological remains of the circus, they practically coincide. Those. the cathedral became even larger than that huge stadium of Nero. Construction began on April 18, 1506 and was completed on November 18, 1626, i.e. it lasted 120 years, but in fact even longer, because then the square was completed, etc.

By architectural project the cathedral cannot be named by one person. Several craftsmen took part in its construction and design. Their projects were very different from each other. The cathedral even changed its configuration several times during construction, and this also very much reflects the era, because each new architect, newly appointed to lead this construction, proposed an absolutely original design that did not take into account or greatly reconstructed what was proposed by his predecessors. Such rivalry is also very much in the spirit of this era.

In 1506, construction of St. Peter's Cathedral began according to the plans of the architect Bramante. His project included a structure in the shape of a Greek cross. Bramante supervised the construction for about ten years, something was already laid there, but then he died. After his death, Raphael took over the construction. He returns to the Latin cross, because the first basilica was, of course, in the form of a Latin cross. After Raphael, Baldassare Peruzzi and Antonio Sangallo were involved in the work, and in 1546 Michelangelo was put in charge of the construction. And Michelangelo again comes to the idea of ​​an equal-pointed cross.

Michelangelo's dome

But Michelangelo’s main merit is not at all in the plan, because then they again switched to the Latin cross, as more consistent with the Latin form of the temple. Michelangelo worked most of all on the design of the dome. He designed the dome. He did not have time to complete it, but still his dome project underwent fewer changes than its ground part.

The dome we see largely belongs to Michelangelo. The only thing is that Giacomo della Porta, who carried out the construction itself, pulled it out a little. I think Michelangelo was looking at the Florentine dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. The same ribs, the same double frame design inside this dome. But, as one philosopher said, if the dome of Santa Maria della Fiore is, as it were, guessed, then this dome is absolutely geometrically built. It, of course, has more rigid outlines and a more rigid structure. The dome acquired an ellipsoidal, ovoid shape. Michelangelo wanted, of course, closer to the hemisphere. The dome is covered with lead plates and has sixteen stone ribs converging at the lantern. I repeat, the design really goes back to the brilliant solution that Brunelleschi once came up with, but here is a new stage, some even new engineering, perhaps more advanced things were used.

As I already said, several plans were in dispute. Some wanted an equal-ended cross, where the dome would dominate, others pulled out this cross like a Latin one. The shape with the Latin cross won; the modern view of this cathedral from above shows that it is in the shape of a Latin cross. For the dome, Giacomo della Porta still adheres to Michelangelo's design. The only thing is that then another architect, Vignola, is involved, already completing the construction of the cathedral from above, and from the four domes provided... And imagine that if, according to Michelangelo’s plan, this is a Greek equal-pointed cross with a dome and four small domes - this is practically a cross-domed basilica that rises to Greek temples. Again, to get away from this Greek design, the architect Vignola leaves only two of the four small domes.

Cathedral facades

The modern facade of the cathedral is generally made in the Baroque style. It was completed by Carlo Maderno already in the 17th century. He covered the cathedral with travertine and made a gallery in front of the entrance. At the direction of Paul V, he lengthened the eastern branch of the cross, added transepts, etc. It was assumed that there would be two more campaniles. Perhaps that is why the two domes, which should have been closer to the entrance, were not completed. But the campaniles were not built. There are drawings where two such towers are depicted from the sides.

A little later, above the unfinished side parts of the facade, they made a clock like this with a mosaic dial and a frame almost in the Rococo style. This clock was installed by Giuseppe Valadier. So here, as you can see, more than a dozen craftsmen worked to create this amazing structure.

Let's return to the facade, because the facade with a colonnade is topped with more figures and sculptures. These are thirteen statues - a statue of Christ, eleven apostles and St. John the Baptist. The Apostle Peter is missing - we will see that his statue will be placed in front of the facade. And on the facade there is an inscription: “In honor of the Chief Apostle, Paul V Borghese, Roman and Supreme Pontiff, did this in the year 1612 and the seventh year of his pontificate.” Those. this inscription was made when the construction of the cathedral was completed.

In front of the cathedral there are two figures: a statue of Peter... But this is at a much later time. Naturally, Peter with the keys is his attribute, his symbol. This is already a 19th century statue. And a statue of Paul with a sword. His attribute is a sword. He is not visible here, he is repulsed. Text, scroll and sword. This is another sculptor, Adamo Tadolini. Interestingly, another statue was supposed to stand here, but it was later moved to the Cathedral of Sao Paulo Fuori le Mura. We will later see another statue of St. Peter inside the cathedral.

There were originally six doors leading into the cathedral, now there are five, three central and two side. The main door was formerly Porta Regia, i.e. “royal doors”, it was intended for emperors and kings, as well as for popes. It was also called Porta Argentia - “Silver Gate”. The first door on the right was Porta Romana - it was intended for residents of Rome, and the second door was Porta Guidonia - for foreigners. There was also Porta Sancta, i.e. “The Holy Door”, we will talk about it later, Porta Ravegnana - for the residents of the diocese of Santa Rufino and Trastevere, i.e. region beyond the Tiber, and Porta Ludici - for funerals. Those. every door was intended for something or someone. Well, now we will see three doors on the facade, and the two side ones are probably almost always closed.

Holy Gate and Death Gate

Now there is a central gate, they are called Saints, and they open very rarely. They are walled up and are opened only during holy jubilee years. From inside the cathedral, they are attached to a bronze cross and a small box in which the key is stored. In the holy year, this key is taken out and the door is opened with it. What is a holy or jubilee year? It was first introduced by Pope Boniface VIII in 1300 to celebrate centenary anniversaries. We know that in Europe dates were treated specially. For example, in 1000 they expected the end of the world, and in some other years they expected the end of the world. In 7000, from the creation of the world, the end of the world was expected, etc. And so, probably, in order to interrupt these apocalyptic moods, the pope appoints, as it were, a great year, a centenary anniversary. The Pope promises remission of all sins to those pilgrims who make a penitential pilgrimage to Rome, enter through these doors, perform penance and for 15 days visit the Basilica of Peter and the Basilica of St. Paul - the main apostles. For the inhabitants of Rome, this period increased to 30 days, since they had less need to go to Rome, they were right there, in this Rome. This custom was liked so much that over time it was divided into 50 years, i.e. Jubilee years have already begun to be considered every 50 years. Then a period of 33 years was introduced - the age of Christ, and since 1470 the holy year has been celebrated every 25 years. So, these gates open every 25 years.

The Holy Gate is on the right. On the left is the Gate of Death. And the central ones received a name - we said that in the Middle Ages they were called differently - they were called the Filaretta Door. This is a bronze door that was moved from the old basilica. The old basilica had those same six doors, and this was one of the surviving doors of the old basilica, i.e. This is a door that is older than the cathedral itself. It was commissioned by Pope Eugene IV to the architect Antonio Filarete, who spent 12 years working on it. In the upper part there is a figure of the Savior, the Mother of God on the throne, in the middle there are Saints Peter and Paul, in the lower marks you can see different scenes. There are also Roman myths - Romulus and Remus, Leda and the Swan, ancient myths, etc. Above the door is a marble bas-relief of Jesus giving Peter the keys to heaven. Those. like the temple of St. Peter, we enter it, and practically we are already on the threshold of heaven.

And the leftmost portal is the Gate of Death. They are so named because funeral processions usually exited through these doors. Previously they were called Porta Ludici, i.e. “the gate through which the dead were brought in or taken out.” Now this is the youngest gate, because the reliefs on it were made by the famous Italian architect Giacomo Manzu. He made them in the 1940-60s. In 1947, Pope Pius XII announced a competition to create a new gate. The winner of this competition was a very famous, one might say, modern, at least 20th century sculptor. Giacomo Manzu. He made ten scenes, they express images of death. Here is the death of the Savior, and the death of the apostles, etc. The figure of Pope John XXIII, the “Good Pope,” as he was called, is very expressive here.

Cathedral Galleries

When we enter, we approach the gate, we find ourselves in a gallery in which two statues are also indicated. One of them is an equestrian statue of Charlemagne, the other is a statue of Constantine. But these, of course, are later works, no longer Renaissance. Karl already in the 18th century. created by Agostino Cornacchini, Emperor Constantine was created by Bernini, i.e. this is already baroque. In fact, we just see how the Renaissance smoothly flows into Baroque, and Baroque feels very comfortable in a Renaissance church, because indeed we will see that one very much follows from the other.

There is one more interesting thing here. This is Giotto's Navicella mosaic. It was also moved from the previous cathedral. Well, there really isn't much left of Giotto here. It is visible if you turn your back to the central Filaretta Door, and then above the portal arch we can see this Navicella mosaic, preserved from the old basilica, from the former St. Peter's Basilica. “Navichella” means “ship” in Italian. Here the image of the church is the ship of the apostles, Peter, who walks on the waves to Christ, and Christ takes him by the hand and lifts him up with the words “Why did you doubt?” Well, since it was moved and restored many times, then, of course, what remains from Giotto is, perhaps, the idea itself and some kind of composition, and everything was done almost in the 17th century.

A few steps from the central door is a large circle of porphyry, brought here from the old basilica. This is also an interesting connection. This circle of porphyry marked the place where, on Christmas night 800, Charlemagne knelt before Pope Leo III, who crowned him as Holy Roman Emperor, i.e. the first emperor after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the first emperor of Western Christendom.

Interiors

But here we are entering the cathedral. Moving from the square to the cathedral, you somehow don’t even notice that you find yourself in the interior. The interior is so huge that it seems that it is a huge area, simply covered with a dome. A truly grandiose cathedral, all decorated. There is a beautiful marble floor, a coffered dome and arches.

Here we are greeted by a bronze statue of Peter. In some guidebooks, for some reason, it is dated almost to the 6th or 7th century. In fact, it was created somewhere in the 12th century. She is considered miraculous. As always, as it happens with us too, pilgrims touch Peter’s feet, and they are almost all polished, you can’t even see the relief image of the fingers. Well, that's the tradition.

The altar, of course, is already Baroque. We see these forms - the image of the Holy Spirit in such a magnificent frame descends onto the altar, the famous canopy with twisted columns.

But the most amazing thing is, of course, the dome. The dome is grand both outside and inside. The only thing is that it is visible from the outside only when you move very far away from the cathedral. The façade is so large up close, and the dome is so distant - I repeat, the design was changed several times - that from the outside this dome is clearly visible only from afar. But inside, when you are under this dome, it is truly a very grandiose experience. It, of course, does not create such lightness, the feeling of a dome suspended, as they said about the Golden Sophia, with golden chains to the sky, but it is truly grandiose.

It is slightly, a few meters, smaller than the dome of the Pantheon. And, of course, internally he is very Pantheon-oriented. We know that the dome of the Pantheon, the ancient temple of all the gods, is made in such a way that above all the gods there is a hole in the sky, because above all the gods there is Someone whose name we do not know, the same “unknown god” whose altar was found in Athens , if you remember, Paul pointed out to his pagan fellow citizens that he professed precisely this God. Here, too, there is a return to this plot. Naturally, there is no such gap in the sky, but there is light that comes from the skylight made above the dome. Those. the idea is the same.

Returning inside, it is impossible not to note that St. Peter's Basilica houses one of the most famous statues by Michelangelo - the Pietà. A maniac once attacked it, tried to destroy it, even caused some injuries to this statue, so now it is covered with armored glass, but is still very clearly visible in one of these small chapels, of which there are a huge number in this cathedral. And, of course, the presence of Michelangelo here somehow adds special significance to this place. It combines both the geniuses of Michelangelo - both the dome, his architectural work, and his sculptural work.

Square in front of the cathedral

I would, of course, like to say something about the square. In addition to the fact that the cathedral is very grandiose, it also has a grandiose area. And it is designed in a very interesting way: it is designed in the image of St. Peter's keys or even a keyhole, as it is often called. The square was designed already in the 17th century. Bernini. This is already an architect who belongs to the Baroque era. And indeed, the cathedral itself shows how one follows from the other. And the ensemble of St. Peter's Cathedral would not be so grandiose if it were not for this colonnade, this great square.

The colonnade is huge, it was also designed by Bernini. This is a double colonnade of the Tuscan order, not even double - it consists of four rows of parallel columns. And on top there are 140 statues of saints. Those. Indeed, this is such a grandiose, majestic structure, a hymn to the Roman Church, to the Roman genius, to the Catholic world.

When you enter this square, as a rule, no one notices that there is a state border there. It is indicated by a white stripe. Because when we enter St. Peter's Square, we enter the State of the Vatican. This is, of course, a state that does not require visas or any stamps in the passport, but nevertheless, it was the builder popes who created this majestic structure who emphasized the special status of the Vatican as a state within a state, as a kingdom standing above kingdoms , like truly the entrance to the threshold of heaven. Well, to what extent this is experienced today, we don’t know, but indeed St. Peter’s Cathedral is the greatest building, built over several generations by the great artists of the Renaissance, and completed by Baroque artists.

Publication date: 2014-07-16

(Italian: Piazza San Pietro) - a baroque square in front of St. Peter's Basilica, which is considered the most important religious building for Catholics around the world.

Believers gather in the square to hear the papal address from the window of the Lateran Palace or from the balcony of the cathedral (on more solemn occasions, such as Christmas; the Pope also appears here for the first time in front of the public and after his election).

The square, like the cathedral of the same name, is named after St. Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. Before meeting his teacher, Christ’s favorite disciple was a simple fisherman, Simon. Having met Jesus, Simon took from him the name “Cephas,” which means “stone” in Aramaic. Subsequently, the Gospel began to use a translation from Greek: “petros - stone.” This is how the words of Jesus Christ explain his choice of the name of the apostle: “I tell you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The Apostle Peter is credited with many deeds, but he was most revered for the power with which he preached and healed the suffering. The Acts of the Apostles describes cases of healing the sick and resurrecting the dead, in particular, the incident in Joppa with the maiden Tabitha, whom he brought to life. Jerome of Stridon, a church writer and creator of the canonical Latin text of the Bible, wrote that the Apostle Peter was elected the first bishop of Rome in 43 and held this post for 25 years. According to legend, in 67, Peter was crucified like his teacher on the cross, during Christian persecutions organized by order of Emperor Nero. Not considering himself worthy to die as the son of God, Peter was crucified on the cross upside down.

Guided by the Christian legend about the burial of St. Peter under the ancient Roman Basilica of Constantine, built on the site of the Circus of Nero, St. Peter's Cathedral was built here in the 16th century. In 1939, excavations began, which lasted 10 years and as a result revealed to the world an ancient cemetery, where they discovered a grave that was especially revered in the 1st-2nd centuries. It is not known for certain whether that grave was the burial of the Apostle Peter or not, but in 1964, Pope Paul VI made an official statement that, according to scientific research, the grave of the Apostle can be considered discovered.

The construction of the monumental St. Peter's Cathedral also “provoked” the improvement of the adjacent square. Work was carried out from 1656 to 1667 under the direction of Lorenzo Bernini. When developing his project for the square, Bernini had to take into account many conditions. These are the features of the terrain (height difference of 8-10 meters), and the presence of the facade of the new cathedral dominating the entire territory of the square (its height is 45 meters), and two fountains and an obelisk already installed by that time. Embodying his architectural ideas, the talented architect found constructive solution transform the surrounding space into a complex of two squares. The trapezoidal part of St. Peter's Square is surrounded by galleries, and the oval part is decorated with two colonnades.

On the sides of the staircase, which is located on the trapezoidal part of the square, there are two statues of the apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, by Bernini. The grandiose colonnade, 19 meters high and deep, which is located on the oval part of the square, consists of 284 Doric columns arranged in four rows. The columns with powerful balconies and attic are decorated with 96 statues of saints and martyrs of the church. The colonnades and the cathedral are connected by closed corridors that diverge at the facade.

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In the very center of the square are two 17th-century fountains by Carlo Maderna and Lorenzo Bernini. Between the fountains is an ancient Egyptian obelisk made of pink granite, dating back to the 1st century BC. In 37, Emperor Caligula brought him to Rome. The obelisk, more than 25 meters high, was brought from Heliopolis, a suburb of modern Cairo. It was intended for a hippodrome, where it remained for a long time. During the Renaissance, they tried to transport the obelisk several times to St. Peter's Square, but the colossal size of the ancient relic required considerable effort to implement this idea. Only by the will of Pope Sixtus V and under the leadership of the architect and engineer Domenic Fontana, the transfer of the obelisk took place. Placed on a sturdy platform, the massive monument, with the help of rollers, winches and a draft force of 900 workers and 140 horses, finally found its place in the center of St. Peter's Square.

There is a legend that says that while lifting the obelisk and installing it in a horizontal position, some of the ropes began to break, and only an unknown person who was in the crowd of onlookers shouted: “Water on the ropes!” As a result, the wet rope tightened, and the obelisk was successfully installed on the pedestal. Thanks to the captain of the ship Bresca from the city of Sanremo, none of the workers were injured. Pope Sixtus V thanked the captain for the privilege of becoming the pontiff's supplier and providing palm trees for the Vatican's departure. religious holiday Palm Sunday. Another legend says that the golden ball that once crowned the monument contained the ashes of Julius Caesar.

In 1930, in honor of the independence of the Vatican and the signing of the Lateran Agreements, the so-called “Street of Reconciliation” was laid from the city center to St. Peter’s Square. From a bird's eye view, the general outlines of the street and square resemble the giant key that Jesus Christ spoke about when addressing the Apostle Peter: “And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Currently, St. Peter's Square serves as a place of pilgrimage for Catholics who gather in front of the main Catholic Cathedral to receive the blessing of the Pope, take part in the festive mass and pray with believers from all over the world.

- group tour (up to 10 people) for a first acquaintance with the city and main attractions - 3 hours, 31 euros

- immerse yourself in the history of Ancient Rome and visit the main monuments of antiquity: the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill - 3 hours, 38 euros

- history of Roman cuisine, oysters, truffle, pate and cheese during an excursion for real gourmets - 5 hours, 45 euros

Cathedral of St. Petra is the first of the seven pilgrimage basilicas of Rome. This magnificent building is the fruit of the work of several generations of the greatest masters of Italy: Raphael, Michelangelo, Bramante, Bernini worked on it. Cathedral of St. Petra can accommodate up to 60 thousand people! About 400 thousand more people can be accommodated in front of the cathedral.

Entrance to the Cathedral of St. Petra - from the right side through the control point (a large queue to it is immediately visible). To the Cathedral of St. Peter is not allowed in inappropriate clothing: if his shoulders are exposed, the skirt is above the knee. I’m not even talking about shorts and flip-flops - forget it!

Life hack: you are not allowed into the cathedral wearing a skirt even just above the knee, but you are allowed onto the dome of the cathedral. And the descent from there is to the Cathedral of St. Petra! True, this experience took place in 2009, maybe the guards have become wiser since then...

Visit the Cathedral of St. Peter's in the Vatican

REMEMBER THE DRESS CODE - no minis, shorts or bare shoulders - for both men and women! Queues to the Cathedral of St. Peter must go through a scanner, just like at the airport. But even if you pass them, the guards at the door may turn you around if you are not dressed appropriately. In the heat, many people are not allowed into the cathedral because their clothing does not meet the requirements!

The dress code is very strict in St. Petra, stricter than in .

It is best to arrive at the cathedral as early as possible. Already at 11 am the queue is already long for the entire area, at least it will take about 45 minutes. In the low season, in Feral, for example, the queues are short, but there are some.

Free entry:

The rules apply to the Cathedral of St. Petra and .

  • 1st Sunday of every month
  • World Tourism Day (27 September)
  • Children under 6 years old
  • Discount ticket: 6 - 18 years old, students up to 25 years old.

St. Peter's Cathedral

  • daily Apr–Sep 07.00–19.00, Oct.–March until 18.00,
  • free

Treasury of the Cathedral of St. Petra

  • church decor, statues, papal mitres and various objects, most often gifts from kings and princes, as well as an outstanding collection of art. No photography allowed. Entrance from the Cathedral of St. Petra.
  • 09.00–18.15, Oct.–March until 17.15,
  • 08.00–18.00, Oct.–March until 17.00,
  • Entrance at the portico of the Cathedral of St. Petra (outside)
  • paid entrance
  • You can go up partly by elevator (320 steps after the elevator) or on foot (551 steps, 2 euros cheaper than the elevator)
  • At the top there is a 360 degree panorama and
  • Admission fee: 8€ by elevator, 6€ on foot, reduced price 4€. Tickets

Vatican grottos

  • Extensive dungeons or crypts located under the Cathedral of St. Petra. The tombs of popes are located here, others are buried in the cathedral. The tomb of Pope John Paul II is located in the grottoes under the floor of the cathedral and is free to visit.
  • Visit the Vatican Grottoes at the end, since when you leave them you will find yourself outside the Cathedral of St. Petra.
  • The entrance is at the transept of the cathedral. The narrow staircase to the Vatican Grottoes is not so easy to find - you can ask the cathedral staff for help.
  • 07.00–18.00, Oct.–March until 17.00, Sun. pl.

Necropolis of the pre-Constantinian era under the cathedral

  • 09.00–17.00 only with excursion
  • 06 69 88 53 18
  • Entrance: 13 €.

View the Pope

  • If the Pope is in his residence, you can see him at noon on Sunday: the Pope usually appears at the window to pray and bless the crowd on . No tickets required.
  • Or you can visit the main audience on Wednesdays, which is held in St. Petra. Tickets required.
  • When the Pope is in his summer residence (July and August), the Main Audience is held in the courtyard of the city of Castelgandolfo.
  • A ticket for the Main Audience with the Pope is required, but is free. It can be obtained from the Prefecture of the Papal Residence, which can be reached through the Bronze Doors. The office is open on Monday from 9:00 to 13:00, and on Tuesday from 9:00 to 18:00.
  • Order a ticket by phone. +39.06.69883114 – +39.06.69884631; or fax +39.06.69885863.

Construction of the Cathedral of St. Petra

According to legend, in the place where it stands St. Peter's Cathedral(Basilica di San Pietro), the Apostle Peter was executed and buried. In 324, Emperor Constantine ordered a basilica to be built here. In 1503, Pope Julius II decided to build a new church on the site of the dilapidated basilica - the largest Christian cathedral in the world.

The work was started by Donato Bramante, then Raphael, Giuliano da Sangallo and Baldassare Peruzzi took part in them, Michelangelo worked for 20 years on the construction of the Cathedral for free, and after the death of Buonarroti - Giacomo della Porta. The last was Bernini, under whom construction was completed, and in 1626, 120 years after the start of work, the temple was consecrated.

The length of the cathedral without a portico is 186.36 m, and with a portico - 211.5 m.

In the Cathedral of St. Peter's can take more than an hour, but if you have time left, you can climb the dome of the cathedral and admire the magnificent panorama of Rome.

Interior of the Cathedral of St. Petra

The wide main staircase rises to the entrance to the cathedral. At the beginning of the square there are huge figures of the apostles Petra c Keys to Paradise (Giuseppe de Fabris, 1840) and Pavla c with a sword (Adamo Tadolini, 1838).

Heading to the temple on the right side of the square, you can approach the entrance to the interior of the Vatican, located at the beginning of Bernini's colonnade.

Through the open doors you can see in the depths Scala Regia, staircase connecting the cathedral and the Apostolic Palace. From below, the staircase seems much longer than it actually is, but this is an optical illusion: at the top the staircase gradually narrows, the vault becomes lower, the columns are smaller in size and placed closer together.

All this enhances the prospective contraction, and when dad appears at the top of the stairs, his figure seems unexpectedly large and majestic.

Portico of the Cathedral of St. Petra

In the spacious portico there are equestrian monuments, on the right is a statue Constantine C1 (Bernini, 1670), left - Charlemagne C2 (Agostino Cornacchini, 1725).

There are five gates leading to the cathedral. Far right - Holy gates C3 ( Porta Santa, 1949).

They are walled up and open only in Jubilee (Holy) years. From inside the cathedral, a bronze cross and a small box are attached to them, in which the key to the door is kept. At the beginning of the Jubilee Year, in accordance with the established ritual, after three times of kneeling and three blows of the hammer, the Holy Gates swing open, and the pope, taking the cross in his hands, is the first to enter the cathedral. At the end of the Year of Jubilee, the gates are again locked and walled up.

Door Filarete

Central bronze Filarete's door(Porta del Filarete, 1445) C4 was moved to the cathedral from the old basilica.

At the top of the door there are figures of the Savior and the Mother of God on the throne. In the middle are Saints Peter and Paul. The two lower hallmarks depict scenes of the trial and subsequent execution of the apostles. In the lower part of the last mark you can see Roman monuments: the pyramid of Gaius Cestius, the castle of St. Angel in its original form, as well as the ancient Roman pyramidal tomb called Meta Romuli, which was demolished in 1499 year by order of Alexander VI.

The main images are framed by numerous scenes on the themes of pagan myths: “Romulus and Remus”, “Leda and the Swan”, “The Rape of the Sabine Women” and Aesop’s fables: “The Wolf and the Lamb”, “The Fox and the Crane”, “The Crow and the Fox”, as well as portraits of emperors and ornaments made of plants and fruits.

Above the doors there is a marble bas-relief“Jesus hands Peter the keys of Paradise” (Ambrogio Buonvicino, 1614), as well as statues of Christ, John the Baptist and the eleven apostles.

Navicella mosaic

If you turn your back to the Filarete door, then above the arch of the portal you can see the remains of the old basilica mosaic "Navicella" C5 (“Ship”) from a painting by Giotto (1298). It presents a well-known gospel story: Peter goes to meet Christ walking on water, “as on dry land,” but, frightened, begins to drown and begs Jesus to save him. Jesus extends his hand to Peter with the words: “O you of little faith! Why did you doubt?

From the inside, on the right door, near the floor, you can see master's mark, who depicted himself riding a donkey at the head of a procession of assistants, each following him with his own tool (hammer, chisel, compass).

A few steps from the door on the floor there is a large porphyry circle C6, moved here from the old basilica. They marked the place where, on Christmas Eve 800, Charlemagne knelt before Pope Leo III, who crowned him as the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

Further along the central axis of the cathedral, marble slabs, which clearly demonstrate the comparative dimensions of the world's largest temples, measured from the door. They show how much St. Peter's Cathedral is superior to them.

Apse of the Cathedral of St. Petra

In the first chapel of the left nave, baptistery C7, the altar is decorated with a mosaic copy (1722) of the painting “The Baptism of Jesus Christ” by Carlo Maratti. Font made from the porphyry lid of a 4th century sarcophagus.

Near the chapel there is monument to Maria Klementina Sobieska 124 (Pietro Bracci, 1742), wife of the pretender to the English throne, Catholic James III Stuart. at the opposite pylon stands Stuart monument C9 - work of Antonio Canova (1829). The tombstone was made at the expense of the English King George III.

In the next chapel in altape depicts the scene “The Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary” C10 (Pietro Cristofari, 1728). Pope Pius X is buried in the chapel.

Monument to Innocent VIII

Further on the right stands a double bronze statue, moved here from the old basilica. monument to InnocentVIII C11 (Antonio del Polayolo, 1498). In the lower part of the memorial the pope is depicted deceased, and in the upper part - sitting on the throne. He holds in his hand the tip of a spear, with which, as is believed, the centurion Longinus pierced the hypochondrium of Jesus. This relic was sent to Rome from Constantinople during the reign of Innocent VIII by Sultan Bayezid II as a ransom for his brother who was captured.

Further behind the patterned forged grille there is Corot Chapel C12. Some of the relics of St. are kept here. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (early 5th century).

Monument to Pope Leo XI

In the passage near the left wall there is Monument to Pope LeoXI C13. The bas-relief (Allesandro Algardi, 1644) depicts the famous plot “Paris is worth a mass.” Pope Leo XI celebrates Mass, which is heard by the future king Henry IV of Bourbon. Later, the king renounced the Protestant faith and converted to Catholicism, however, he did this rather out of calculation, since in doing so he received from the pope the rights to the royal throne.

Tombstone of Innocent XI

On the contrary - Tombstone of Pope InnocentXI C14 (Pierre Etienne Monnot, 1704), during whose reign Jan Sobieski liberated Vienna from the Turkish siege. This event is also immortalized on the bas-relief of the sarcophagus. A few steps later, on one of the four supporting pillars supporting the huge dome of the cathedral, a mosaic copy (1767) of Raphael’s last painting appears “ Transfiguration of the Lord» C15.

Monument to Pope Pius VII

At the wall opposite - monument to Pope PiusVII C16 (1831). This is the only work in the cathedral performed not by a Catholic, but by a Protestant, the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. Near the monument - Altar of Pope Gregory the Great, under which his relics are kept in a marble shrine.

On the right side of the pylon there is a mosaic copy (1727) of a painting by Pomarancio “ Sapphire's punishment» C17. In the Acts of the Apostles it is narrated that Sapphira, together with her husband Ananias, tried to deceive the apostles by withholding part of the fortune promised to them. Opposite is the entrance to treasury cathedral

IN south transept C18, located on the site of the supposed crucifixion of St. Peter, there are three altars. In the center is depicted St. Joseph with the Lily of the Annunciation, holding the baby Jesus in his arms (Achille Funi, 1963). On the left is a copy (1784) of Guido Reni’s painting “The Crucifixion of the Apostle Peter”, and on the right is “The Confidence of the Apostle. Thomas" (1822).

Tombstone of Alexander VII

Placed next to the chapel tombstone of Pope AlexanderVII C19, one of the last works of Bernini (1678). behind the kneeling pope, allegorical figures of Justice and Prudence are visible, and in the foreground - Mercy and Truth. The master performed the Truth naked (in accordance with the rules of allegory), later it was covered with a thin bronze sheet painted with white paint. Before the praying dad Death holds an hourglass in his hand, showing that the time of his earthly life has expired.

Chapel Column

Chapel Column C20 is named after a fragment of a column of the old basilica kept here with the face of the Virgin Mary written on it. This icon is called Mater Ecclesiae, "Mother of the Church".

In the altar (Giacomo della Porta, 1581) lie the remains of Popes Leo II, Leo III and Leo IV.

On the next wall on bas-relief(Alessandro Algardi, 1653) depicts a legendary plot: Pope Leo I the Great with a cross comes out to meet Atilla and convinces him to retreat. The remains of Pope Leo I rest in the altar under the bas-relief. Another pope, Leo XII (1760-1829), rests in the center of the chapel under a white circle with the epitaph: “The most unworthy of all who bore this great name,” which he composed for himself.

Two wide steps made of porphyry, moved here from the old basilica, lead to the apse of the cathedral. Upstairs, in the stained glass window, Bernini's painting shines symbol of the Holy Spirit(1660), a dove soaring in golden rays.

Peter's Chair

Below it is located altar of the Chair of Peter C21 ( Cathedra Petri Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, 1666). It is called so because it contains a wooden chair, on which, according to tradition, Saint Peter preached two thousand years ago. The relic is framed with a complex pattern of dark bronze and gold, and the altar is supported by figures of the Fathers of the Roman and Greek Church.

Tombstone of Pope Paul III

To the left of the pulpit - bronze Pope Paul's tombstoneIII C22, executed by Giacomo della Porta. At the pedestal of the monument there will be allegorical figures, Justice and Prudence. It is believed that Justice has the features of Giulia Farnese, sister of Paul III and mistress of Alexander VI, nicknamed for her beauty La Bella. Initially, she was depicted naked, but then a white tin blanket was thrown over her. On the contrary - Pope Urban's tombstoneVIII C23, decorated with heraldic bees, the last of Bernini's works (1647).

Chapel of the Archangel Michael

What follows: Chapel of the Archangel Michael C24, where on the left is a mosaic copy (Pietro Cristofari, 1730) from Guercino’s painting “The Burial of St. Petronilla,” a student, and according to other sources, the daughter of the Apostle Peter. The chapel itself is named after a mosaic copy (1758) of the famous painting by Guido Reni “The Archangel Michael Trampling the Defeated Satan.”

Here on the left is tomb of Pope ClementXIII C25 (Antonio Canova, 1792). On the contrary, in Navicella altar C26 (1727), the biblical story depicted on Giotto’s mosaic at the entrance to the cathedral is repeated: Peter, succumbing to doubt, walking towards Jesus along the waters of Lake Genisaret, begins to drown.

North transept

IN north transept C27 located three altars. In the central one there is a mosaic (1712) depicting the martyrdom of Saints Process and Martinian, Peter's guards in the Mamertine prison. In the center of the left altar is a mosaic copy (1739) from the painting “The Martyrdom of St. Erasmus” by Nicolas Poussin, on the sides are medallions depicting Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga, who brought Christianity to the Russian land. Opposite is a portrait of the King of Czechia St. Vaclav(1740) and medallions depicting educators Kirill And Methodius. Located under the dome of the cathedral central altarС28 with lit lamps over the shrine with the relics of the Apostle Peter. The altar is called papal because only the Pope can celebrate Mass here. Canopy(Bernini, 1633) four columns support the altar. Their twisted shape repeats the shape of the column from the Temple of Solomon, brought to Rome by Emperor Constantine after the capture of Jerusalem.

On four marble plinths there are eight bas-relief images of three bees, the coat of arms of the Barberini family, the family to which Pope Urban VIII belonged.

Dome the cathedral in Rome is called cupolone(“dome”), in diameter (42 m) it is only slightly inferior to the dome (43.4 m).

On the frieze of the dome and further along the frieze of the entire cathedral, the words are written in Greek and Latin: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). The sails of the dome depict the Gospels with their attributes: Mark with a lion, Luke with a calf, John with an eagle, Matthew with an angel.

The dome rests on four huge pylons with 5-meter figures of saints standing in niches.

Peter's brother is depicted at the south-eastern pylon Andrey C29 (Francois Duquesnoy, 1635) - according to the Gospel, Andrew was the first to follow Jesus, and he is called the First Called. Andrew is depicted with the symbol of his martyrdom - the X-shaped cross on which he was crucified. at the southwest - figure Veronica C30 (Francesco Mochi, 1629) with the veil that she gave to Jesus going to Golgotha. Jesus wiped the sweat from his eyes, and the non-man-made face of the Savior, also called the “first icon,” was imprinted on the bedspread.

The figure of the queen rises near the northwestern pylon Elena C31 (Andrea Bolgi, 1635), mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. She holds in her left hand the nails with which Jesus was nailed to the Cross, and in her right hand - the Cross itself, which she found in Jerusalem. The reliquary of the pylon contains fragments of this relic. In the niche of the north-eastern pylon there is a marble figure of a centurion Longina C32 (Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, 1635). Before removing the body of Jesus from the cross, the centurion Longinus pierced his hypochondrium with a spear to make sure that he was dead. The tip of the spear is kept in a reliquary on the balcony of this pylon. Next to the column in the central nave there is a miraculous bronze statue of st. Petra C33 (Arnolfo li Cambio, 13th century).

Chapel of San Gregorio

Chapel of San Gregorio C34 was made according to the drawings of Michelangelo by his student Giacomo della Porta. Here in the central altar is kept an icon from the 12th century, transferred from the old basilica. Madonna del Soccorso"("Our Lady of Help"). The chapel is richly decorated with polychrome marble. Laid out on the floor coat of arms of the Boncompagny family.

Tombstone of Pope GregoryXIII C35 (Camillo Rusconi, 1723) from the Boncompagni family is located at the beginning of the right nave. The sarcophagus is supported by heraldic dragons, and it depicts the adoption of the Gregorian calendar by order of the Pope.

On the contrary, in strong contrast with the tomb of Gregory XIII, there is an empty niche above the tomb of Gregory XIV.

An elegant forged grill protects Chapel of the Holy Sacraments C36, where you can enter exclusively to perform prayer.

A gilded bronze icon case with numerous relics shines in the altar. He stands against the background of the painting “The New Testament Trinity” by the artist Pietro da Cortona. This is the only oil painting in the cathedral. On the right is a mosaic copy of Domenichino’s painting “The Ecstasy of St. Francis."

located opposite Tombstone of Matilda of Tuscany C37 (Bernini, 1637), a countess who lived in the 11th century, during acute conflicts between the emperor and the Pope, and acted on the side of the pope. Among other things, she conducted military operations. The bas-relief reproduces the scene of Emperor Henry IV's repentance before Pope Gregory VII in Canossa, Matilda's castle, which was provided to the pope as a refuge.

Opposite the next chapel with a mosaic depicting the martyrdom of St. Sebastian (copy from a painting by Domenichino), - monument to the Swedish Queen Christina C38 (Carlo Fontana, 1702), buried in the cathedral crypt.

Pieta by Michelangelo

You can finish your tour of the cathedral at the chapel with the famous “ Drinking» C39 (Michelangelo, 1499). The white marble sculpture depicts the Madonna with the body of Jesus after being taken down from the cross. Maria appears in the guise of a young girl. After a maniac damaged the statue in 1972, it was covered with bulletproof glass.

Near the Pietà there is a descent into crypto C40. At a depth of 4 m there are extensive dungeons, called “sacred grottoes”, where tombs, mosaics and frescoes that survived from the old basilica are collected.

Jubilee year

In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII established the procedure for celebrating the centenary anniversaries of the church. The Pope promised remission of all sins to those pilgrims who would make a penitential pilgrimage to Rome and perform penance, namely, visit the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul daily for fifteen days. For residents of Rome, this period increased to thirty days.

Colonnade of St. Peter
The square is framed by semicircular colonnades of the Tuscan order designed by Bernini, which, in combination with the cathedral, form the symbolic shape of the “key of St. Peter”.
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Vatican Obelisk
It is generally accepted that the idea of ​​​​using obelisks as elements of urban architecture belongs to Pope Sixtus V. It was he who, when arranging the most famous squares of the city center, often ordered the installation of obelisks topped with crosses, which was evidence of the continuity of Ancient, pagan Rome and New - Christian Rome. It is interesting that in order to raise the obelisk installed in the center of St. Peter's Square (the general design of the architect Domenico Fontana, in the summer of 1586 it was necessary to first build an oak tower. This nameless obelisk, brought to Rome by Emperor Caligula (37-41 AD) , was originally installed in the center of the Circus of Nero, located on the territory of the imperial gardens - now the Vatican, exactly where the Apostle Peter was tortured and then executed. The process of erecting the obelisk is depicted both in an ancient engraving and on a fresco in the Hall of Papal Archives. Vatican Library.
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The obelisk is made of red granite, it soars to a height of 25.5 m. Four bronze lions by Prospero Antici are installed on the pedestal. The inscription reads: "Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Iuda, Radix David! Alleluia!", which in translation reads: "Behold the Cross of the Lord. All evil forces are gone. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has won! Hallelujah !". This little prayer was given to St. Anthony to a poor woman who sought help against the temptations of the devil. The prayer, called the "Motto of St. Anthony", became popular among Franciscans over the centuries. Pope Sixtus V, himself a Franciscan, said a prayer at the base of the obelisk he erected in St. Peter's Square in Rome in 1585.
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Remarkable facts. This is the only ancient obelisk in Rome that has never fallen. Initially, the tip of the obelisk was crowned with a copper ball, in which, according to legend, the ashes of Julius Caesar were kept. Then a cross took its place. In 1740, wooden remains of what was considered the original cross of Christ were mounted into the base of the cross. Fragments of the relic are also inserted into the cross rising above the dome of the cathedral.
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Two fountains And
Two identical fountains are located at the northern and southern focal points of the square, respectively.
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Statue of the Apostle Peter
The statue of the Apostle Peter was created by the sculptor Giuseppe de Fabris in 1838-1840. and installed under Pope Pius IX. The Apostle Peter holds two keys in his right hand, and in his left hand an unfolded scroll on which is written: “Et tibi dabo claves regni Caelorum” (“And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven”). The height of the monument is 5.55 m, and the pedestal is 4.91 m.
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Apostle Paul Statue
The statue of the Apostle Paul was sculpted in 1838 by sculptor Adamo Tadolini and erected under Pope Pius IX. The apostle holds a sword in his right hand and an unfolded scroll in his left. Both monuments were restored in 1985-1986 thanks to the generosity of the Knights of Columbus.
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Saint Paul's Cathedral
St. Peter's Basilica is a Catholic cathedral, the central and largest building of the Vatican, the largest historical Christian church in the world. One of the four patriarchal basilicas of Rome and the ceremonial center of the Roman Catholic Church. It ranks first among the seven pilgrimage basilicas of Rome. Several generations of great masters worked on its creation: Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini and others. The capacity of the cathedral is about 60 thousand people + up to 400 thousand people gather in the square on holidays.
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Remarkable facts. Not a single piece of marble from St. Petra was not quarried from modern quarries; all the material for its construction was taken from ancient buildings, some of which, for the sake of a few pieces, were razed to the ground. Papal architects, like “destroying meteors,” scoured the surroundings of the Roman Forum in search of building material.
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Facade
The height of the facade, built by the architect Carl Maderna, is 48 m, excluding the height of the statues, the width is 118.6 m. From the portico, five portals lead to the cathedral.
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The attic of the facade is crowned with huge, 5.65 m high, statues of Christ, John the Baptist and the eleven apostles (except for the Apostle Peter). John the Baptist is at the right hand of Christ.
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At the edges of the facade, the attic ends with a clock and on the left with a bell tower with 6 bells.
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The middle of the nine balconies on the facade is called Loggia of Blessings. It is from here that the Pope addresses the numerous believers gathering in St. Peter, with the blessing "Urbi et Orbi" - "To the City and the World".
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Before going inside the cathedral, I suggest you familiarize yourself with the diagram. The picture is clickable; clicking it will open a diagram with a legend. In what follows, the position numbers corresponding to this scheme will be indicated in square brackets in the text.
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Portico of the Cathedral
Five portals lead from the portico to the cathedral.
Left gate - Gate of Death. The reliefs of the Gates of Death were created in 1949-1964. famous sculptor Giacomo Manzu. The Doors of Death are so named because it was through these doors that funeral processions usually exited. 10 scenes on the doors express the Christian meaning of death.
Gate of good and evil created in 1975-1977. by sculptor Luciano Minguzzi on the occasion of the eightieth birthday of Pope Paul VI. Evil is represented by a picture of martyrs during the partisan massacre in 1943.
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Doors of the central portal ( Filaret Gate) were made by the Florentine master Antonio Averulin, known as Filaret in 1445, and come from the old basilica. At the top of the doors there are large figures of the Savior and the Mother of God sitting on the throne. In the center are the apostles Peter and Paul. The lower part depicts scenes of the trial of Nero and the subsequent execution of the apostles: the beheading of St. Paul and the crucifixion of St. Petra.
Gate of Mysteries. Created in 1965 by Venantius Crocetti, commissioned by Pope Paul VI on the occasion of the re-opening of the Second Vatican Council.
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Holy Gate(Holy Door) created by Vico Consorti in 1949. From inside the cathedral, the Holy Door is walled up with concrete; a bronze cross and a small box are attached to the concrete, in which the key to the door is stored. Every 25 years before Christmas, the concrete is broken before the anniversary year. After a special ritual, the Holy Door swings open and the Pope, taking the cross in his hands, is the first to enter the cathedral. At the end of the Jubilee Year, the door is closed again and sealed for the next 25 years. Above the gate from the inside there is a mosaic with the image of St. Petra.
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Opposite the Philaret Gate, above the entrance to the portico, there is a famous mosaic by Giotto from the end of the 13th century. "Navichella". The theme of the mosaic composition - the Miracle on Lake Genicapets - symbolically illustrates the mercy of Christ to the people. Jesus saves the boat with the apostles caught in a storm and the drowning Peter. The plot also symbolizes the very salvation of the Church from all possible misfortunes. In the portico modern church Only a copy of the Baroque mosaic has been preserved and exhibited.
28.

Equestrian statue of Charlemagne the work of the sculptor Agustino Cornacchini (1725). Charlemagne was the first to be crowned in the cathedral in 800 in the left wing of the portico.
29.

At the end of the right wing of the portico there is equestrian statue of Constantine the Great works by Bernini. It was ordered by Pope Innocent X in 1654, but the work was completed only in 1670 under Pope Clement X, who ordered the statue to be placed near the stairs leading to the Vatican Palace. The sculpture depicts one of the episodes of the war between Constantine and Maxentius.
30.

Inside, the cathedral amazes with its harmony of proportions, its enormous size, and the richness of its decoration - there are a lot of statues, altars, tombstones, and many wonderful works of art.
Central nave
The total length of the basilica is 211.6 m. On the floor of the central nave there are marks showing the dimensions of other largest cathedrals in the world, which allows them to be compared with the Cathedral of St. Petra.
31.

Floor grille in bronze with the coat of arms of Pius XII, inserted into the floor of the nave of St. Peter's Basilica.
36.

Let's walk along the central nave from entrance gate clockwise.
Statue of St. Peter of Alcantria- one of the initiators of ascetic reform in the Franciscan order ( Francisco Vergara, 1753).
Installed under the ceiling statue of st. Lucy Filippini, founder of 52 schools for young women, where they taught home economics, weaving, embroidery, reading and Christian doctrine ( Silvio Silva, 1949).
37.

Installed under the statue Fountain of the Cherubs. There is a similar fountain on the opposite side of the nave.
38.

Statue of St. Camilla de Lellis, founder of the Camillian Order.
Under the ceiling - statue of st. Ludovica Maria Grignon de Montfort, author of numerous books and 164 hymns, founder of the Monfortan Society of the Virgin Mary.
39.

Statue of St. Ignatius de Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order ( Camillo Rusconi, 1733).
Under the ceiling - statue of st. Antonio Maria Zaccaria, founder of three religious orders ( Caesar Aureli, 1909).
40.

Statue of St. Francis of Paola, founder of the Order of Minims.
Under the ceiling - statue of st. Pierre Fourier, founder of the Congregation of Canosses ( Louis Noel Nicoli, 1899).
41.

Statue of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Artistically and symbolically depicted in a green robe, long-haired, with a beard and holding a cross, a symbol of his martyrdom.
42.

Statue of St. Veronica of Jerusalem (Francesco Mochi, 1629). Church tradition calls Veronica a pious Jewish woman who was not afraid to approach Jesus, who was carrying his cross, and give Him her cloth (a piece of cloth) to wipe His face. The "true image" of Jesus' face was left on the cloth.
43.

Main dome
The main dome, an architectural masterpiece, has a height of 119 m inside and a diameter of 42 m. It is supported by four powerful pillars. The dome of the cathedral rises to a height of 136.57 meters from the floor of the basilica to the top of the crowning cross. This is the tallest dome in the world. Its internal diameter is 41.47 meters, which is slightly less than that of its predecessor domes: the diameter of the dome of the Pantheon (Ancient Rome) is 43.3 meters, the diameter of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore from the early Renaissance is 44 meters, but it surpasses the dome of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, built in 537. It was the Pantheon and the Florence Cathedral that served as examples for the architects of St. Peter's Cathedral in terms of decisions on the construction of such a grandiose structure. The construction of the dome was started by Bramante and Sangallo, continued by Michelangelo and Giacomo Della Porta, and completed in 1590 in the last year of the reign of Pope Sixtus V by Giacomo Della Porta and Domenico Fontana.
44.

The inner surface of the dome is decorated with images of the four evangelists: Matthew - with the angel who led his hand when writing the Gospel ( Caesar Nebbia), Brand - with a lion ( Caesar Nebbia), John - with an eagle ( Giovanni de Vecci) and Luke - with an ox ( Giovanni de Vecci). The lion, eagle and ox are the so-called “apocalyptic beasts”, about which St. John the Theologian in the Apocalypse writes about the animals that surrounded the throne of God.
45.

Around the inner circumference of the dome there is an inscription two meters high: TV ES PETRVS ET SVPER HANC PETRAM AEDIFICABO ECCLESIAM MEAM. TIBI DABO CLAVES REGNI CAELORVM (You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church... and I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven). Under Pope Clement VIII the cross was put in place. This procedure took the whole day and was accompanied by the ringing of bells from all the churches in the city. At the ends of the cross crossbar there are two lead caskets, in one of which a particle of the Life-Giving Cross and the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called is placed, and in the second a medallion of the Lamb of God.
46.

In the under-dome space in front of the main altar there is Bernini’s masterpiece - a huge, 29 m high, canopy (ciborium) on four twisted columns, on which stand statues of angels by Francois Duquesnoy. One pair of angels holds symbols of the pope - keys and tiara, the other pair holds symbols of St. Paul - book and sword. Among the laurel branches on the upper parts of the columns are visible the heraldic bees of the Barberini family. The bronze for the ciborium was also taken from the Pantheon, having dismantled, on the orders of Pope Urban VIII, the structures that supported the roof of the portico. Although the canopy does not look particularly large in the interior of the cathedral, it is equal in height to a 4-story building. In the middle of the canopy stands the papal altar, so named because only the Pope can celebrate Mass in front of it. The altar is made of a large piece of marble brought from the forum of Emperor Nerva.
47.

In front of the altar there is a staircase leading down to the tomb of St. Petra. This descent is called Confessio (confessional), because it can be considered as a cut window in the confessional, through which believers could look at the shrine hidden deep underground, where part of the relics of St. Petra.
50.

Statue of St. Benedicta, founder of the Benedictine Order.
52.

Statue of St. Francis of Assisi (Carlo Monaldi, 1727), the founder of the mendicant order named after him - the Franciscan Order.
Under the ceiling - statue of st. Alfonso de Liguori (Pietro Tenerani, 1839), founder of the Congregation of the Holy Saviour.
53.

Monument (tombstone) of Pope Paul III(Guglielmo della Porta, 16th century). They say that the allegories of Justice and Prudence are like Dad's sister and mom. When creating the tombstone, della Porta may have used a sketch by Michelangelo, and the work on creating the tombstone itself most likely was carried out under the supervision of Michelangelo.
54.

Visible through the canopy is the building in the central apse, also designed by Bernini. Chair of St. Peter. Bernini decorated the throne with a magnificent bronze throne, which was carried by figures of two human heights, depicting the four Fathers of the Church: Ambrose and Augustine as representatives of the Roman Church, Athanasius and John Chrysostom - respectively, the Greek. From above, the throne was immersed in a sparkling golden light pouring from an oval glass window depicting a dove - a symbol of the Holy Spirit - the divine source of papal infallibility. Golden rays extend from the image of a dove in all directions and pierce the swelling clouds populated by angels.
55.

Monument (tombstone) of the pope

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