Saint Peter's Cathedral (or
Basilica) was inaugurated in a.d. 396, by pope Sylvester.
It had been built by Constantine on Saint Peter's grave.
Today's altar lies exactly on Saint Peter's tomb, where
his relics are.
The Cathedral we see today was started in 1506 and completed
120 years later. Many famous Renaissance architects contributed
to its construction, Bramante among them. In 1546 pope Paul
III appointed Michelangelo Buonarroti, already in his sixties,
as official architect in charge. Michelangelo designed the
greek cross plan which was then completed by Della Porta,
who designed the dome, and by Carlo Maderno, who built the
facade. Saint Peter's Cathedral was consecrated on Nov.
18, 1626.
From Saint Peter's portico you enter the main entrance hall,
with its five doors. On the right you can see the Holy Door,
which is opened only every 25 years, in Jubilee or Holy
years.
Saint Peter's Cathedral has very remarkable dimensions:
it is 230 m. long, the vault is 38 meters high, and the
wings of the Dove of the Holy Spirit above Bernini's Baldacchino
are 1,4 m wide.
In the first chapel on the right there is the cathedral's
most beautiful sculpture: the Pietà by Michelangelo.
This is Michelangelo's masterpiece, finished when he was
only 23 years old, perfect in the figure's proportions
as well as in their expression. On the band across the
Virgin's breast, Michelangelo carved his name. This is
one of the few sculptures he finished and the only one
he signed.
Under one of the dome pillars you will find the statue of
Saint Peter (XIII century): note how the saint's feet are
consumed by the believers' kisses.
The huge bronze sculpture, the Baldacchino (a canopy as
high as a five-storey building) was made by Bernini.
There, at Easter time, the Saints' relics are shown to the
public: Saint Andrew's skull, the fragments of the Holy
Cross, Veronica's shroud and a fragment of the lance used
by a Roman soldier to hit Christ's chest .
Main altar: only the Pope can celebrate the Mass here.
The area behind the altar is used for solemn celebrations
such as beatification, canonisation or for the coronation
of a new Pope.
Left nave: monument to Alexander VII, by Bernini.
Chapel Clementina: it contains a monument to Pius VII,
by the Danish artist Thorvaldsen, and in Saint Peter's Cathedral this is the only work of art made by a non-catholic artist.
In this Chapel, a mosaic reproduces the Transfiguration
by Raphael (the original is on exhibit in the Pinacoteca
Vaticana ).
The Chapel of the Choir: here the Choir of the Cappella
Giuliana sings during the Sunday Mass.
Chapel of the Battistero with its beautiful porphyry Christening
basin which was probably made with part of the sarcophagus
of Emperor Adrian.
The Porta della Morte (Door of Death): near the exit
you can see this sculpture by Giacomo Manzù, representing
the death of Christ and the Virgin.
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Saint Peter's Basilica as Michelangelo
had planned it
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