Italy Day 3, Rome Day 3 Part 2 by Aaron, St. Peter Basilica 圣彼得大教堂 & St. Peter's Square 圣彼得广场 at Vatican City

St. Peter Basilica &  St. Peter's Square

~ Aaron

St. Peter's Cupola, St. Peter Basilica, St. Peter's Square

     The area around Sait Peter’s Basilica is very beautiful. St. Peter’s Basilica was started in 1506. The dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica is one of the tallest domes in the world! The Saint Peter’s Square looks awesome.

Saint Peter's basilica

Baptistry

Baldacchino & Saint Peter's Chair

At Saint Peter's Basilica

Interior of the basilica

Interior of the basilica

Interior of the basilica

Interior of the basilica

Interior of the basilica

Dome of the basilica

Interior of the basilica

Pieta

Pieta

Pieta

Pieta

Saint Peter's Chair & Baldacchino

Saint Peter's Chair & Baldacchino

Baldacchino

Baldacchino

Baldacchino

Baldacchino

Baldacchino

Baldacchino

Saint Peter's Chair & Baldacchino

     Saint Peter’s Basilica is one of the most famous examples of Renaissance architecture. It took 110 years for the basilica to be completed, on top of the older one. It was designed after the Pantheon, but with some minor and major changes. About 10 architects worked on designing the basilica, including Michelangelo. Michelangelo also made a realistic Pieta of Mary holding the dead Christ, which was put inside the basilica. This sculpture made Michelangelo famous. Standing out among other sculptures, the 2 interior decorations, designed by Bernini, are very outstanding. One contains the Chair of Saint Peter. On top of the chair, a stained glass window of a dove of peace with beams of light coming out from it. The other is the Baldacchino. It is actually a huge bronze canopy, supported by pillars and angels, over the Papal Altar.

The Dome of St. Peter's Basilica

The line to climbing the dome

Side wall of St. Peter's Basilica

The side door

At the side door

Guard of Vatican City

Guard of Vatican City

Halfway to the Top of the Dome

Halfway of Climbing

Inside view of the dome
from halfway

Saint Peter's Basilica

Saint Peter's Basilica

Mosaic on the wall

Saint Peter's Chair and Baldacchino
view from the dome

At the top of the Dome

Saint Peter's Square, viewing from the dome

Piazza Venezia (the white building)

View from the dome

View form the dome

Statues at the dome

Statues at the dome

     If you climb to the top of the dome, you can see much of the city. There are a few hundred stairs going up! You can go to the very top (the point) of the dome using these stairs. The inside of the dome is a lot skinnier than most other Renaissance domes. However, the rest of the basilica and the dome is much larger than other basilicas and domes of the world.

Saint Peter's Square

Guards of Vatican City

Guards of Vatican City

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

At Saint Peter's Square

     One of the things you can see from the top of Saint Peter’s Dome is the Saint Peter’s Square. From the top of the dome, the square with everything nearby looks almost like a key. Bernini designed the square, which was built from 1656 and 1667. The square is completely designed in Baroque style. The two main features of the square are the obelisk in the middle, and the fountains.

     The Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Saint Peter’s Square are beautiful. The Saint Peter’s Basilica has very pretty decorations. The view from the dome of the basilica includes almost all of Rome. Saint Peter’s Square is amazing. I wish this day could happen again!