St. Peter’s Basilica, located in Vatican City, is a globally recognized symbol of religious significance and architectural brilliance. This iconic basilica stands as a testament to centuries of history, art, and faith, drawing millions of visitors annually. Officially begun in 1506 under Pope Julius II and completed in 1615, during the reign of Paul V, St. Peter’s Basilica is not just a church; it’s a landmark of human achievement and devotion. Designed in the shape of a three-aisled Latin cross, topped by a magnificent dome at its center, the basilica is erected directly above the high altar, which itself enshrines the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle. Celebrated as a pinnacle of Renaissance architecture and enriched with Baroque elements, St. Peter’s Basilica is often hailed as the greatest building of its era.
As the central church of the popes, St. Peter’s Basilica is a vital pilgrimage destination for Catholics around the world. Both the basilica and the expansive St. Peter’s Square serve as venues for numerous liturgies throughout the year, often attracting crowds numbering in the tens of thousands, presided over by the Pope. Alongside the Basilicas of St. John Lateran, Santa Maria Maggiore, and St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, St. Peter’s Basilica holds the distinguished rank of a major basilica, a designation shared by only four churches globally. Until 1989, it held the title of the largest church in Christendom, until the completion of the basilica in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
A Journey Through History: The Construction of St. Peter’s Basilica
The vision for St. Peter’s Basilica began with Pope Nicholas V (reigned 1447–55), spurred by the deteriorating condition of Old St. Peter’s Basilica. In 1452, Nicholas commissioned Bernardo Rossellino to commence the construction of a new apse to the west of the old basilica. However, work ceased upon Nicholas’s death. In 1470, Pope Paul II entrusted the project to Giuliano da Sangallo.
The cornerstone for the new basilica was laid on April 18, 1506, by Julius II. Initially planned as a Greek cross by Donato Bramante, the design evolved after Bramante’s death in 1514. Leo X appointed Raphael, Fra Giovanni Giocondo, and Giuliano da Sangallo as successors, who modified the plan to a Latin cross with three aisles. Following Raphael’s death in 1520, subsequent architects including Antonio da Sangallo the Elder, Baldassarre Peruzzi, and Andrea Sansovino continued the ambitious project.
After the sack of Rome in 1527, Paul III (1534–49) assigned Antonio da Sangallo the Younger to the basilica, who reverted to Bramante’s original plan and separated the new construction from the still-used Old St. Peter’s. Upon Sangallo’s death in 1546, Michelangelo, then aged, was commissioned by Paul III as chief architect, a role he maintained under Popes Julius III and Pius IV. By Michelangelo’s death in 1564, the drum of the massive dome was nearing completion. Pirro Ligorio and Giacomo da Vignola succeeded him, and under Gregory XIII (1572–85), Giacomo della Porta took charge. The dome, altered from Michelangelo’s original concept, was finalized under Sixtus V (1585–90), and Gregory XIV (1590–91) ordered the construction of the lantern above it. Clement VIII (1592–1605) oversaw the demolition of the apse of Old St. Peter’s and erected the new high altar over the altar of Calixtus II.
Paul V (1605–21) embraced Carlo Maderno’s design, extending the nave eastward to form a Latin cross and completing the 615-foot-long structure. Maderno also finished the facade and added bays for campaniles. While Maderno designed campaniles, only one was built, with a different design by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1637. Under Alexander VII (1655–67), Bernini designed the iconic elliptical piazza and colonnades that lead to the basilica.
Relics, Art, and Spiritual Treasures
St. Peter’s Basilica is not only an architectural marvel but also a repository of significant religious relics and art. Bernini created niches to display four important relics: the Veil of Veronica, a fragment of the True Cross, a piece of the Holy Lance, and the skull of St. Andrew the Apostle. These relics were placed in loggias within the piers supporting the dome, each loggia decorated with a Carrara marble bas-relief and ancient vine-leaf columns from the old basilica.
Beyond these relics, the basilica and its grottos house the remains of numerous saints and popes. Approximately 90 popes are entombed here, including St. Peter the Apostle, St. Leo I, St. Gregory the Great, Urban VIII, St. Pius X, St. John XXIII, and St. John Paul II. Relics of notable saints such as St. Luke the Evangelist, St. Simon the Apostle, St. Jude the Apostle, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, and St. John Chrysostom are also venerated within.
The basilica’s interior is adorned with Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces, including Michelangelo’s Pietà, Bernini’s baldachin over the main altar, the statue of St. Longinus, the tomb of Urban VIII, and the bronze cathedra of St. Peter in the apse. Visiting St. Peter’s Basilica is an immersive experience in art, history, and spirituality, reflecting the enduring legacy of the Catholic Church and human creativity.
