{"id":15827,"date":"2014-06-18T07:28:05","date_gmt":"2014-06-18T07:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mapsofworld.com\/travel\/?p=15827"},"modified":"2022-09-19T11:00:01","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T11:00:01","slug":"st-peters-basilica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mapsofworld.com\/travel\/destinations\/vatican-city\/st-peters-basilica\/","title":{"rendered":"St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\"St.<\/a>

St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Built across the river Tiber, the St Peter’s Basilica is one of the best places to visit in Italy. It is situated upon the site where the chief Apostelic Father, Saint Peter was martyred, crucified, and laid to rest in 64 AD. As St Peter is regarded as the very first pope, so the pontificate decided to build a church here. Originally, the church was established to house the \u201cGaius\u2019s Trophy\u201d and to make the bury of St Peter the center of the construction. The monument is a fine example of the artistic excellence achieved over several years. The church is home to Italy’s most famous chefs-d’oeuvre, including, Michelangelo\u2019s Piet\u00e0, his striking dome, and Bernini\u2019s baldachin (canopy) placed over the apostolic altar. The church has the capacity to accommodate 20,000 people. The imposing building has a 45.50 meter high nave. The interiors of the church are adorned with the gracious mosaic work and paintings. From the 136-meter-high dome, the visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the square. Carlo Maderno altered the original design of Michelangelo, by widening the facade and placing gigantic statues of Christ, John the Baptist and the apostles. Interestingly, he didn’t install the statue of St. Peter on the balustrade. The statue of the patron saint is placed strategically inside the church. Underneath the basilica lies the burial site of the popes, called the Vatican Grottoes. Tips to visit the church of St Peter in Vatican City<\/a>:<\/p>\n