There Basilica of San Pietroin addition to being the heart of Vatican cityis the most important church of Christianity, the largest of the papal basilicas in Rome as well as the largest Christian church al World by size: long 218 meters and high 136 meters up to the cross of the dome, it has an area of 23,000 m2 and can host inside up to 20,000 people (according to some estimates also 22,000). Here the remains of Pope Francis were transported – even if he will not be buried here but in Santa Maria Maggiore – and it was reopened because his funeral will be held here on April 26 (already 60,000 faithful arrived in the Vatican) before the conclave with which the Cardinal Victors will elect Bergoglio’s successor.
The history of the Basilica of San Pietro
The basilica that today is considered the heart of Christianity and one of the most important spiritual destinations in the world was erected on the slopes of Colle Vaticano, where traditionally it is believed that theapostle Peterthe first pope of history, martyred during the persecutions of Nero. His tomb became a destination for pilgrimages and in the 4th century the emperor Constantine He built a first monumental basilica on it, breaking down part of a Roman necropolis. It was the Constantinian Basilicahuge for the time, with five naves.
In the fifteenth century the old basilica began to show the signs of the time: thus, in 1506, pope Julius II – He who brought the Swiss guards to defend the Vatican – decided to reconstruct it from scratch. A titanic enterprise, which he committed 20 popes and the greatest architects and artists of the Renaissance (Bramante, Raffaello, Michelangelo, Bernini, Maderno) but who maintained Pietro’s tomb in the center of the Basilica. The new church was completed in 1626over a century after the laying of the first stone.
The works present in the Basilica of San Pietro
The most famous element of the Basilica of San Pietro is undoubtedly his domedesigned by Michelangelobuilt in less than two years from Giacomo della Porta. Inside it is covered with a mosaic of 3000 m2 depicting figures of apostles, patriarchs and angels, immersed in a golden background. The writing that runs along the base takes up the words of Jesus to Peter: “You are Pietro and on this stone I will build my church». Inside the Basilica, right above the Tomb of the Apostle, the gigantic stands out Canopy of bronze signed by Berninisupported by wrong columns decorated with bees, symbol of the Barberini family.
Below, the “Confession”Enlighten the tomb with 99 Perennial lamps. There is no shortage of the works that remove their breath: the Compassion Of Michelangelosculpted by the author at just 23 years old in a single block of marble; there bronze statue of San Pietroconsumed by the kisses of the faithful; the Tombs of the Popes and the funeral monuments of Bernini, Canova and many others. Outside, the monumental facade of Carlo Maderno (115 meters wide) dominates the square. In the center, the famous Loggia of blessings From which the newly elected Popes overlooked, and right in front of Square San Pietro, this also designed by Bernini.
Under the basilica: the Vatican caves and the Vatican necropolis
Under the floor of the basilica the treasure of the Vatican cavesa sacred area in which there are chapels, frescoes and papal burialsamong which, however, there will not be that of Pope Francis.
Deeper is the Vatican Necropoliswith 22 sepulchral buildings dating back to the second century, which tell the life (and death) of the inhabitants of ancient Rome. That’s right that there is the Original tomb of Pietrodiscovered in the 1940s during a excavation campaign.
