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St. Peter's Basilica

Vatican City, Holy See (Vatican City State)

St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica is the largest church in the world, and holds a number of important pieces of artwork. Even if you're not at all religious, a visit to St. Peter's is worthwhile, simply to admire the impressive construction of the church and its artwork. There is a large courtyard in front of the basilica where masses are held. There is no charge for admission, although there are often long lines, and bags must go through a metal detector before entering.

Inside St. Peter's Basilica

Inside the Basilica

The inside of the basilica is beautifully decorated with mosaics, sculptures, and other pieces of famous artwork. The sides of the basilica are lined with a number of smaller rooms and chapels. At least one of these is usually closed for "prayer and reflection", and has a drawn curtain. As long as you're quiet and respectful, nobody will stop you from going in and looking at the artwork. Some of the more notable pieces in the basilica are Michelangelo's Pieta and the main canopy, designed by Bernini.

Visiting the Top of the Basilica

The view into the basilica from the lower part of the dome

To visit the top of the cathedral, visitors can either pay 7€ to take an elevator, or 5€ to take the stairs. The elevator only goes to the bottom of the dome, which provides a good view of the interior of the church (as pictured here). It is about 200 stairs to this level. From there, visitors can choose to walk up another 300 stairs, which grow progressively narrower, to the top of the dome, where there is a great view outside. If you have time to spare, and can handle all the stairs, visiting the top of St. Peter's does provide some excellent views.