St. Peter's Square

Evening aerial view of the piazza and basilica

Fresco of St. Peter's Square, c.1587, before the dome of the new St. Peter's Basilica or the faade had been built[3]

St. Peter's Square colonnades

A reconstruction of Old Saint Peter's in 1450; at left is the obelisk in its previous location.

The obelisk today

An early interpretation of the relative location of the circus and obelisk, including the medieval and current basilicas

One possible modern interpretation[12]

St. Peter's Square

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Also Refered As:

Piazza San Pietro

St. Peter, Rome Overview

St. Peter's Square is a sizable and beautiful piazza located at the base of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It's an architectural wonder designed by Bernini. The square is comprised of an elliptical part and a trapezoidal part. St. Peter's Square is famous for its stunning symmetry and is also the site of major religious events, including the Pope's public blessings and Easter Mass.

At the ellipse's heart is a 25m obelisk flanked by two gorgeous fountains, one by Bernini and one by Maderno. One side of the ellipse is enclosed by Bernini's colonnades, consisting of 284 columns and 88 pillars and with many statues of saints on top. With dimensions of 320 meters long and 240 meters wide, it is believed to have the capacity to hold an astonishing total of 300,000 people. Bernini was commissioned by Pope Alexander VII between 1656 and 1667 to build the square where the apostle Peter had been killed. His pupils continued his work and created a total of 140 statues. The grandiose Royal Staircase was built just as the square neared completion to link it to the Vatican Palaces. Initially, this magnificent square was created for the Pope to make announcements from the basilica's balcony. The plainness of the colonnade's pillars and columns leads your eyes to the grand welcoming entrance of St. Peter's Basilica.