St. Peter’s Basilica is the centre of Christianity in Vatican City.
The largest Christian church in Europe, it is also considered to be one of the grandest cathedrals mankind has ever seen. What’s more, this fine epicentre of spirituality took more than a century to build and displays the unparalleled works of great Renaissance’s architects, like Raphael!
The Basilica is one of the Catholic churches’ holiest temples that’s widely visited by thousands of pilgrims each year. In addition to being an important pilgrimage site, the Basilica is also the destination preferred by the travellers because of its imposing architecture. Here we give a peek into the grandeur of the St. Peter’s Basilica.
Marvel the late Renaissance architecture
The glorious edifice has the world’s largest dome that was flawlessly designed by Michelangelo, one of the greatest Italian Renaissance artists! The church is beautifully surrounded by an elliptical colonnade with two pairs of Doric columns, each with ionic entablatures. The stunning travertine front façade with impressive order of colossal Corinthian columns of the church enhances the magnificence of the monument. These ninety feet high columns are topped by thirteen amazing statues of Christ flanked by eleven Apostles.
Treat your eyes to heavenly artworks
Once inside the church, you will be wowed not only by the Baroque architecture but also the breathtaking artworks that are pleasing on the eyes. But did you know that the interior of the Basilica is elaborately decorated with intricate mosaics that give an illusion of the beautiful, lavish paintings? Additionally, the twenty-six-meter high bronze canopy over the main altar and right beneath the dome is a marvellous magnum opus in itself. With coloured marble incrustations, mosaic decorations and stucco figures, St. Peter’s Basilica boasts of some incredible artistic ingenuity like the gorgeous sculpture of the Pietà carved by Michelangelo. You can also visit the necropolis ‘Sacre Grotte’, right beneath the nave, which houses the graves of more than a hundred popes.
