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St. Peter's Basilica

The Vatican's great basilica, rebuilt from 1506 to 1626 by Bramante, Michelangelo and Maderno in turn.

  • Rome
  • Church
Plan your visitSee tours
Where
Rome
Best for
Michelangelo's dome and Pietà
Allow
1 hr 30 min
Tickets
Free

The current St. Peter's Basilica replaced Constantine's fourth century church and took from 1506 to 1626 to build, passing through the hands of Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta and Carlo Maderno. Michelangelo designed the dome, completed after his death, and refused payment for the work as an act of devotion; Maderno added the long nave and facade that give the building its current, slightly controversial proportions. Inside, Michelangelo's Pietà stands behind glass to the right of the entrance, Bernini's bronze baldacchino rises 29 meters over the papal altar, and the crypt below holds the tombs of popes back to antiquity. The basilica remains a working church run by the Fabbrica di San Pietro, with Mass said daily even as tour groups move through.

The principal basilica of Vatican City, built over the Constantinian church in a century-long Renaissance and Baroque project and still maintained by the Fabbrica di San Pietro.

The travertine facade of St. Peter’s Basilica with its colossal statues and a crowd in the square
Carlo Maderno’s wide travertine front, crowned with colossal statues, hides the dome from anyone standing close.
Sources and citations (2)
  1. Fabbrica di San PietroThe BasilicaOpening paragraphsRead source
  2. Fabbrica di San PietroSt. Peter's Basilica | A masterpiece to exploreThe DomeRead source

Look closer

Bernini’s bronze canopy under the dome of St. Peter’s with shafts of light
The baldacchinoBernini’s twisting bronze canopy stands over the papal altar, directly above the tomb of Saint Peter.
The gilded throne of Saint Peter held aloft by four bronze figures in the apse
The Cathedra PetriA gilded bronze throne held up by four Doctors of the Church, lit from behind by an alabaster window.
Looking up into Michelangelo’s dome, with gold and blue mosaics
Inside the domeStand at the crossing and look straight up: Michelangelo’s dome rises in rings of mosaic and light.

Five things worth finding

If you see nothing else, see these.

  1. PietàMichelangelo, 1498-1499

    Michelangelo’s marble Mary holding her dead son, carved when he was in his early twenties; it is the only work he signed.First chapel of the right aisle, behind glass

  2. BaldacchinoGian Lorenzo Bernini

    A twisting bronze canopy about 29 meters tall, marking the tomb of Saint Peter below; one of the defining works of the Baroque.Under the dome, over the papal altar

  3. Cathedra PetriGian Lorenzo Bernini

    A gilded bronze throne held aloft by four Doctors of the Church, lit from behind by a glowing alabaster window with the Holy Spirit as a dove.Apse, at the far end of the nave

  4. Statue of Saint PeterArnolfo di Cambio (attr.)

    A seated bronze whose right foot has been worn smooth by centuries of pilgrims’ touch and kisses.Beside the last pier of the nave, near the main altar

  5. Michelangelo’s domeMichelangelo, Giacomo della Porta

    The climb brings you onto the inner gallery above the nave and then out onto the roof for a view over the square and the whole of Rome.Climb entrance on the right side of the basilica

Plan your visit

Everything you need before you go.

Tickets
Free
Booking
No booking needed
Time needed
1 hr 30 min
Best time
Right at opening, before security lines stretch across the square.
Getting there
Walk from the Ottaviano or Cipro metro stops (line A); there is no visitor parking at the Vatican itself.
Accessibility
The basilica floor is level and wheelchair accessible through a dedicated entrance; the dome climb involves a lift partway and then a narrow, sloped stair with no wheelchair access to the top.

Entry to the basilica itself is free. Climbing the dome costs about €10 for the stairs alone or €22 with the online ticket that includes lift access plus timed basilica entry and an audio guide. Modest dress (covered shoulders and knees) is enforced at the security check.

Book the dome's lift-and-stairs ticket online for a fixed time slot; it lets you skip the general security queue entirely, not just the dome line.

See toursOfficial website
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A few we would book ourselves, to get more from your visit.

Booking through these links may earn Italia Magnifica a commission, at no cost to you.

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Good to know

How long should you spend at St. Peter’s Basilica?

Plan on about an hour and a half inside the basilica, longer if you add the dome climb or the crypt. The security line at the entrance can add to that, so arriving early in the day pays off.

Do you need to book St. Peter’s Basilica?

Entering the basilica itself does not require a ticket, only passing security, so you can turn up. The dome climb is ticketed, and it is worth booking it ahead in high season; dress so that shoulders and knees are covered.

Can you see St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums in one day?

Yes, and most people do: museums and the Sistine Chapel in the morning, the basilica after. They have separate entrances and tickets, so treat them as two visits and leave a break for lunch between.

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