Perhaps the most famous of Rome's many squares, Bernini's Piazza San Pietro Colonnade seems to arm symbocally the world into the lap of 
Catholic Church. The obelisk in the centre was brought to Rome by Caligula in 36 AD and was moved there in 1586, when Sixtus V ordered that it had to be erected in front of the Basilica, a task that took for months and was apparently done in silence, on pain of death.
The matching fountains on either side (see Bernini's fountain in the night here) are the work of Carlo Moderno (on the right) and Bernini on the left. In between the obelisk and each fountain, a circular stone set into the pavement marks the focal points of an ellipse, from which the four rows of columns on the perimeter of the Piazza line up perfectly, making the colonnade appear to be supported by a single line of columns.
Basilica di San Pietro
The basilica di San Pietro, better known to many as St. Peter, is the principal shrine of the Catholic Church, built on the site of St peter’s tomb, and worked on by the greatest Italian architects of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Inside on the right is Michelangelo’s graceful La Pietà, completed when he was just 24. Following on the attack by a vandal, it sits now behind glass, strangely remote from the life of the rest of the building. Further into the church the dome is breathtakingly imposing, rising high above the supposed site of S. Peter’s Tomb. With a diameter of 41.5 meters it is the Rome largest Dome, supported by 4 enormous piers, decorated with reliefs depicting the basilica’s so-called “major relics”: St veronica’s handker-chief, which was used to wipe the face of Christ; the Lance of St. Longinus, which pierced Christ’s side: and a piece of the True Cross. On the right side of the Nave is the Bronze Statue of St. Peter, its right foot polished smooth by the attention of pilgrims.
Bronzo was also the material used in Bernini’s high baldacchino, cast out of 927 tonnes of metal removed from the Pantheon roof in 1633. To modern eyes it’s an almost grotesque piece of work, with its wild spiraling columns copied from columns in the Costantine basilica. Bernini’s feverish sculpting decorates the apse too, his bronze.
An entrance off the aisle leads to the steepy priced Treasury , while back at the central crossing, steps lead down to the Grottoes where a good number of popes are buried including Giovanni Paolo II. To not miss is the ascent to the roof and dome (daily May-Sep 8am-6pm; €5 with lift, €4 using the stairs and more important avoiding the line); the entrance is in the northern courtyard between the church and the Vatican Palace, on your way out as you exit to through the crypt. The views from the gallery around the interior of the dome give you a sense of the enormity of the curch, and from there the roof grants views from behind the huge statues onto the piazza below, before the challenging ascent lantern at the top of the dome, from which the views over Rome are glorious and unforgettable.
Saint peter and Vatican Area can be reached by a few minutes walk from all Leonhouses Holiday Apartments located in Rome Prati and Vatican District .
How to Visit Saint Peter in Rome
Once you arrive in San Pietro in case of events you shall pass through metal detectors (normal control) and follow the path that leads to the entrance of the Basilica just in front of a long corridor that reaches the top of the stairs. So the first thing to do without losing too much time is to queue and make the ticket.
Then there are basically two options: if you want to walk up to the top of Saint Peter Basilica the ticket cost is € 5.00 - without lift for a total of about 500 steps, it's really an experience - the first 200 steps to get inside the dome at the top level and additional 300 will take you up on top of it. The final climb is really difficult, because of the size of the dome which becomes smaller. While the ticket cost is € 7.00 if you decide to use the elevator.
Such these patience and effort will be well rewarded as the landscape of Rome from that height is sublime. You can admire the different hills of Rome and if time permits, as well as some surrounding countries. The time is certainly ideal for a visit early in the morning in order to avoid the annoying queue.
Basilica's Opening Hours: 7-19
Inside the Basilica it is possible to visit:
1 - Vatican Grottoes (Tombs of the Popes): Access from the right transept. Hours: 8 to 17.45.
2 - Historical Museum-Art (Treasury of St. Peter): Access from the left aisle of the basilica. Hours: 8-18. Admission € 5.
3 - Cupola Opening Hours: 8 to 17.45.
How to visit Saint Peter's tomb and necropolis
To visit the excavations under the Basilica of St. Peter you should submit a written request, at least 15 days prior to the Fabbrica di San Pietro - Ufficio Scavi, specifying the name and number of visitors, language, desired date and address.
This request may be sent by fax or e-mail or by filling out a form in the Office itself (right after the Arch of the Bells). The Ufficio Scavi will confirm by telephone the day and time of the guided visit (2 hours). Office Hours: 9 to 15.30, holidays closed. Tel +390669885318.Fax 0669885518. E-mail:
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Tickets here: € 10 with a guide.
