Must-SeeRome
Lazio
About 1.9 miles away
The Colosseum, the Pantheon and 3,000 years of history, with some of Europe's best street life.
Full Guide
St. Peter's Basilica
The vast Renaissance church over the tomb of St. Peter, crowned by Michelangelo's dome.
- Open
- Every day; closed at times for papal ceremonies
- Price
- Free
- Time Needed
- 2 hours
- Address
- Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican CityDirections
- Getting There
- Through St. Peter's Square, after the security check under the colonnade.
Why Go
Built from 1506 to 1626 on the site of a church raised by Constantine, the basilica was the work of Bramante, Michelangelo, Maderno and Bernini. Inside are Michelangelo's Pietà, carved when he was 24, Bernini's bronze canopy over the papal altar, and the tombs of popes in the grottoes below. Beneath them, small guided groups visit the Roman necropolis and the place venerated as St. Peter's grave; book through the Excavations Office months ahead.
Tips
- Come early in the morning, when the security line is short and the light falls through the windows.
Nearby in Vatican City
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About 119 miles away
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Tuscany
About 143 miles away
The cradle of the Renaissance, with the Uffizi, Michelangelo's David and Brunelleschi's dome.
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