This presentation gives an overall idea of concept, planning, designing and various ornamental features of St. Peter's Basillica

1. Saint Peter’s Basilica

2.  St. Peter's is a church in the
Renaissance style located in
Rome
 Designed principally
by Donato
Bramante, Michelangelo, Carl
o Maderno and Gian Lorenzo
Bernini, St. Peter's is one of
the largest churches in the
world.
 By Roman Catholic tradition,
the basilica is the burial site
of its namesake Saint Peter,
one of the twelve apostles of
Jesus

3. The basilica is approached via St. Peter's Square, a
forecourt in two sections, both surrounded by tall
colonnades.
The facade of the basilica, with a giant order of columns, stretches across the
end of the square and is approached by steps on which stand two 5.55 meters
(18.2 ft) statues of the 1st century apostles to Rome, Saints Peter and Paul.
Its central dome dominates
the skyline of Rome.
ST. PETER
ST. PAUL

4.  The basilica is cruciform in shape, with
an elongated nave in the Latin cross
 The central space is dominated both externally
and internally by one of the largest domes in the world.
 The entire interior of St. Peter's is lavishly decorated
with marble, reliefs, architectural sculpture
and gilding.
 The basilica contains a large number of tombs of
popes and other notable people
 There are also a number of sculptures in niches
and chapels, including Michelangelo's Pietà.

5.  Where St. Peter's now stands was once a chariot racing stadium,
built in the time of the Emperor Caligula, Claudius and Nero (40-
65).Nero was the Emperor who began the first great persecution of
Christians in Rome. Under his rule of terror, many Christians
were imprisoned and put to death here

6.  the largest basilica was erected above the tomb of Peter on the
slope of the Vatican hill.
 That building lasted throughout the centuries until 1500 & Pope
Julius II decided to replace it with a new structure. Work began in
April 1506. Many great artists were involved in its construction
and decoration: Bramante, Sangallo, Raphael, MICHELANGELO,
MADERNO, Della Porta, BERNINI, Fontana.

7. The bowl itself, changed in shape from the half rounded shape of
Michelangelo's design to the half oval shape of today, was completed by Della
Porta in May 1590.
Pope Paul V, decided that the
Greek Cross design was too
small. He obliged his architect,
Maderno, to pull down the
front wall of Michelangelo's
building and extend the
eastern end of the basilica by
116 yards. That was completed
in 1626, and in the following 30
years Gian Lorenzo Bernini
added the Colonnade

8.  Length
730 feet (220 m)
 Width
500 feet (150 m)
 Height (max)
452 feet (138 m)
 Dome dia. (outer)
137.7 feet (42.0 m)
 Dome dia. (inner)
136.1 feet (41.5 m)
 Groundbreaking
18 April 1506
 Completed
18 November 1626
•Location
vatican city
•Geographic coordinates
41°54 8 N 12°27 12 ECoordinates: 41°54 8 N 12°
27 12 E
•Affiliation
Roman Catholic
•Rite
Roman

10. • In a lunette over the central
opening into the portico is
Giotto's heavily restored mosaic,
the Navicella, or St. Peter
walking on the Sea of Galilee.
• On the right Christ is seen
walking upon the waters, and
almost invisible beneath him is
the donor, Cardinal Stefaneschi,
who gave the mosaic to Old St
Peter's in 1298

11. 1. Equestrian Statue of
Charlemagne
2. Temperance
3. Justice
4. Inscription of Gregory II
5. The Door of Death
6. Epitaph of Hadrian I
7. The Door of Good and
Evil
8. Central Door
9. The Door of the
Sacrements
10. Inscription with the bull
Antiquorum Habet Fida
Relatio
11. The Holy Door
12. Inscription of John Pual II

12. 13. Charity
14. Patio of St Gregory the
Illuminator
15.Faith
16. Equestrian statue of Constantine
17.Hope
18.The Church
19. Pavement Coat of Arms of Leo
XIII
20. Pavement Coat of Arms of John
XXIII
21. Names of those at the
proclamation of the Dogma of the
Assumption
22.Pavement Coat of Arms of Clement
X
23.Prudence
24.Fortitude

13. On the far left of the
portico is the equestrian
statue of Charlemagne,
first emperor to be
crowned in St. Peter's, on
Christmas eve of 800
Door of Death by
manzu,1961-64
The Door of Death is so called
because it used to be the exit for
funeral processions.

14. Door of Good and Ev
This second door from the left
was donated to Pope Paul VI,
on his 80th birthday. The right
panels show goodness, the left
evil.

15. St. Longinus was the Roman
centurion who pierced the side
of Christ with a lance. He is said
to have converted
to Christianity after
experiencing the darkness after
Christ's death.
St. Longinus Statue
by Bernini, 1635

16. St. Helen Statue
by Andrea Bolgi, 1635
St. Helen was the mother of
Constantine. She converted
toChristianity and performed
many acts of charity, including
building churches in Rome and in
the Holy Land.

17. St. Veronica Statue
by Francesco Mochi, 1629
St. Veronica, according to pious
tradition, was the woman who
wiped the face of Jesus during
the Way of the Cross

18. The Dome - Interior
Michelangelo's dome was
only completed to the base
when he died.
It was later finished by
Giacomo della Porta in 1590

19. Altar of St. Joseph
painting by Achille Funi, 1961
mosaic, 1963
The center altar of the left
transept was dedicated to St.
Joseph, Mary's husband, and
blessed by Pope John XXIII on
March 19, 1963.

20. This biblical scene took place by the temple gate
called "Beautiful

21. •The Main Tribune (or apse) holds the Cathedra Petri (St Peter's Throne), with
the Monument to Paul III (left) and Urban VIII (right).
• it is a throne in which fragments of acacia wood are visible, which could be
part of the chair of St. Peter, encased in oak and reinforced with iron bands.

22. •The Meeting between St. Leo the Great
and Attila is the only altarpiece in St.
Peter's consisting of a monumental
marble relief.
•It depicts the pope repelling Attila and
the Huns from attacking Rome. Attila
raises his arm as Sts. Peter and Paul
appear in the sky
•The great carved marble altarpiece by
Alessandro Algardi (1602-1625)
portrays the Meeting of Pope Leo the
Great with Attila, King of the Huns,
whose advance on Rome in 452 the
Pope had succeeded in halting, thereby
saving Rome from destruction.

23. •The Altar of Our Lady of the
Column is an image of the Blessed
Virgin that had been painted on a
column of porta santa marble,
which was part of the central nave
of the Old Basilica.
•After Vatican II, Paul VI honoured
it with title of "Mater Ecclesiae",
and in 1981, Pope John Paul II had
a mosaic reproduction of it affixed
to the external wall of the
Apostolic Palace, facing the square.

24. •The Altar of the Sacred Heart, which
on the occasion of St. Margaret Mary
Alacoque's canonization in 1923, was
decorated with a mosaic inspired by a
painting by Carlo Muccioli (1857-1933).
•She was the saint responsible for the
spread of this popular devotion to Our
Lord's Sacred Heart.
•When St. Margaret Mary approached
her spiritual director and told him that
she had been visited by Our Lord, he
was uncertain about her sincerity. He
told her to ask Jesus, next time He
appeared, to recount some of her past
sins.

25. •This is probably the world's most famous
sculpture of a religious subject.
•Michelangelo carved it when he was 24
years old, and it is the only one he ever
signed
• As we contemplate the Pieta which
conveys peace and tranquility, we can feel
that the great sufferings of life and its pain
can be mitigated.
•It is said that Michelangelo
had been criticized for
having portrayed the Virgin
Mary as too young since she
actually must have been
around 45-50 years old
when Jesus died.
•He answered that he did so
deliberately because the
effects of time could not mar
the virginal features of this,
the most blessed of women.

26. Statues of Founder Saints
A St. Peter of Alcantara (below)
St. Lucy Filippini (above)
B St. Teresa of Jesus (b)
St. Madeleine Sophie Barat - (a)
C St. Camillo de Lellis (b)
St. Louis Grignion de Montfort (a)
D St. Vincent de Paul (b)
St. John Eudes (a)
E St. Ignatius of Loyola (b)
St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria (a)
F St. Philip Neri (b)
St. John Baptist de la Salle (a)G St Francis of
Paola (below)
St Peter Fourier (above)
H St John Bosco (above St Peter)
I St John of God (b)
St Mary Euphrasia Pellettier (a)
J St Peter Nolasco (b)
St Louise de Marillac (a)
K St Norbert (b) -St William (a)
L St Juliana Falconieri (b)
St Angela Merici (a)
M St Benedict (b) St Frances of Rome (a)
 N St Francis of Assisi (below)
St Alphonsus of Liguori (above)
O St Dominic (b)
St Francis Caracciolo (a)
P St Elijah (b) - St Francis de Sales (a)
Q St Bruno (b)
St Paul of the Cross (a)
R St Joseph Calasanctius (b)
St Bonfilius Monaldi(a)
S St Jerome Emiliani (b) - St Joan Antide Thouret(a)
T St Cajetan Thiene (b) St Frances Cabrini (a)

27.  1. Chapel with Tomb of Pius XII
2. Chapel of St Veronica
3. Clementinian Peribolos
4. Chapel of St Helen
5. Clementine Chapel (Chapel of St
Peter)
6. Gregorian Peribolos
7. Chapel of the Madonna of Bocciata
8. Opening onto the Archeological
Remains
of the Confessio (ex Chapel of
Salvatorello)
9. Irish Chapel of St Columbanus
10. Chapel of the Madonna of
Partorienti
11. Southern Corridor of the
Confessio
12. The Confessio
13. Northern Corridor of the
Confessio
14. Polish Chapel of Our Lady of
Czestochowa
15. Lithuanian Chapel of Mater
Misericordiae
16. Peribolos - Last Section
17. Mexican Chapel of Our Lady of
Guadeloupe
18. Tomb of Pius VI
19. Chapel of the Madonna between
Peter and Paul
20. Peribolos - First Section
21. Chapel of the Patron Saints of
Europe
22. Chapel of St. Andrew
23. Opening in front of the Confessio

28. 26. Central Altar
27. Tomb of John Paul II
28. Tomb of Cardinal Merry del Val
29. Tomb of Queen Charlotte of Cyprus
30. Queen Christina of Sweden
31. Tomb of the Stuarts
32. Tomb of Cardinal Francesco Tedeschini
33. Tomb of Benedict XV
34. Tomb of Innocent IX
35. Archeological Room IV
36. Archeological Room V
37. Archeological Room VI
38. Tomb of Innocent XIII
39. Tomb of John Paul I
40. Tomb of Marcellus II
41. Tomb of Urban VI
42. Tomb of Paul VI
43. Chapel of Our Lady, Queen of the Hungarians
44. Exit from Grottoes to Piazzetta Braschi
45. Archeological Room I
46. Archeological Room II
47. Archeological Room III
48. Early Christian Sarcophagus
49. Mosaic of John VII
50. Gallery of Clement VIII
51. Sarcophagus of Pius III
52. Sarcophagus of Paul II
53. Polyandrium under the floor
54. Tomb of Hadrian IV
55. Tomb of Innocent VII
56. Tomb of Nicholas V
57. Tomb of Monsignor Ludvig Kaas
58. Tomb of Gregory V
59. Tomb of Emperor Otto II
60. Tomb of Julius III
61. Statue of Pius VI
62. Tomb of Nicholas III
63. Tomb of Boniface VIII
64. Madonna Dolorosa and the Doctors of the Church
65. Dividing wall of Paul III and the
Remains of two Columns from the Old Basilica
66. Funerary Monument of Calixtus III
67. Marble Statue of St Peter Enthroned
68. Entrance to the Grottoes from the patio

29. In front of the Clementine
Chapel is the shrine faced with
travertine with the tomb of Pius
XII, Eugenio Pacelli (1939-1958).
The room was created in 1954 by
Vincenzo Fasolo when the early
Christian sarcophagus of Junius
Bassus was removed. It has
linear, symmetrical plan, almost
in the shape of a cross.
Clementine Chapel -
(Chapel of St Peter)
• In the center of the peribolos is the
Clementine Chapel, the gem of the
Vatican grottoes and the precious
chest protecting the sepulcher of St
Peter. The center of the room
coincides with the "subterranea
Confessio" built at the end of the 6th
century by Popes Pelagius II and St
Gregory the Great.

30.  On the right side of the
peribolos
(semicircular corridor),
just past the Polish
Chapel, is an opening
with a bronze grid
onto the floor of the
basilica above.
Chapel of the Madonna
of Partorienti
The biggest among the old
chapels in the grottoes, this
chapel was created by Paul V
in 1616.It was the first chapel
in the grottoes to be dedicated
to the Madonna and, despite
the 20th century.

31.  The Chapel is behind an
iron gate, made by Alberto
Bisello di Perugia (1958),
with two crowned eagles
that are the emblem of
Poland.
The Wind Rose
• The Wind Rose that surrounds the
obelisk in St Peter's Square is a
diagram that uses the compass
points to show the different wind
directions. Each of these sixteen
elliptical white marble markers is
labeled with the compass point
and the name of the wind from

33. The 140 Saint Statues on the Colonnades
• The Colonnades consist of
284 Doric columns and 88
pilasters of travertine
marble. These columns, 13m.
tall, are arranged in four
rows. With the trabeation
surmounted by a balustrade,
the overall height is 21m.
Bernini built two straight
covered wings (Charlemagne
left, Constantine right) 120
m. long, to link with the
basilica's façade.

34.  Six papal coat of arms of
Alexander VI (1655-1667)
are located around the
square. It was Alexander
who decided to build the
square as we know it
today.
The Fountain
• The fountain (8m high)on the
right is the work of Carlo
Maderno (1613). Bernini,
who designed the square, had
it erected where it now stands,
and for purposes of symmetry
built the fountain on the left

35. Between the obelisk and each
fountain are white marble discs
with a granite center, which
mark the centers of each
colonnade. Standing on the
disc, you will see only the fist
row of columns.
Sundial Markers
discs showing the points of the
compass as 'winds'. From the
obelisk toward the fountain on
the right, are white marble discs
used as sundial markers for the
obelisk. Two dates are inscribed
on each disc to indicate when
the noon shadow of the obelisk
will reach this spot. There are

36. John Paul II Shot Here
A small red porphyry stone
in the pavement of the
square, marks the spot
where Pope John Paul II
was shot on May 13, 1981.

37. BRONZE
DOORS
• Just beyond the colonnade on the right, is the Bronze Doors
used as an entrance to the Apostolic Palace.
• Swiss Guards stand at this door, but they may be
approached to obtain tickets to the Wednesday Papal
Audience.

38. The top of the
Charlemagne Wing has
been converted into an
exhibition hall.
Occasionally exhibits
are held here.

39. Apostolic
Palace
• The Apostolic Palace is actually a group of
buildings which include the Papal residence

40. 14. Papal Apartment
The Papal
Apartment occupies
the top floor of the
Apostolic Palace.
The top two right windows are the
study and bedroom of the pope. On
Sundays at noon, the pope usually
appears at the second window from
the right to pray the Angelus and
bless the crowd in the Square.

41. Pius IX (1846-
1878) decided
to replace older
statues of Sts.
Peter and Paul,
with the
current larger
ones
on Easter 1947
New Statue of
St. Peter
Old Statue of St.
Peter

42.  17. Information &
Post Office
 18. Vatican Book
Store

43.  19. Mater Ecclesiae
Covering a window
facing the square, the
"Mater Ecclesiae"
mosaic was
commissioned by Pope
John Paul II in
thanksgiving to the
Virgin Mary after the
assassination attempt.

44. 20. Paul VI Hall
 The Paul VI Audience Hall is a
building used by the Pope as an
alternative to Saint Peter's
Square for conducting his
Wednesday morning General
Audience. The building, with a
seating capacity of 6,300, was
designed in reinforced concrete .
 One of the more arresting features
of the hall is the twenty-meter-wide
brass and bronze sculpture La
Resurrezione ("The Resurrection")
 The roof of the building is covered
with 2,400 photovoltaic
panels, generating sufficient electric
ity to supply all the heating, cooling
and lighting needs of the building
throughout the year.

45.  21. Arch of the Bells
Entrance
Swiss Guards at this
entrance will let you
pass if you have
business in the Vatican,
or if you have
reservations for the
Scavi tour. Above this
arch are the bells of St.
Peter's, the largest with
a diameter of 2.5m.

46.  22. Bag Check
 23. The Facade (Carlo
Maderno)
This bigger than a football
field (118m by 48m) facade
has an inscription from Pope
Paul V in 1612, but was
completed two years later.
The basilica was consecrated
by Urban VIII on Nov. 18,
1626.

48.  Above the basic structure is an attic, with eight square windows
decorated with small pilasters, surmounted by a balustrade and 13
statues in travertine. The statues on the balustrade represent
Christ the Redeemer (19 feet high), St. John the Baptist and 11
Apostles. St. Mathias is included because he is associated with the
other "Eleven" in bearing witness to Christ's Resurrection

49.  The façade designed by
Maderno, is 114.69 metres
(376.3 ft) wide and 45.55 metres
(149.4 ft) high and is built
of travertine stone, with a giant
order of Corinthian columns
and a central pediment rising
in front of a tall attic.
 The façade is often cited as the
least satisfactory part of the
design of St. Peter's.The façade
is too broad for its height, too
cramped in its details and too
heavy in the attic storey. The
breadth is caused by modifying
the plan to have towers on
either side. These towers were
never executed above the line
of the façade because it was
discovered that the ground
was not sufficiently stable to
bear the weight. One effect of
the façade and lengthened
nave is to screen the view of
the dome, so that the building,
from the front, has no vertical

50.  24. Loggia of the
Blessings
It's from here that the
new pope is announced
with "Habemus
Papam", and gives the
"Urbi et Orbi' (to the
city and the world)
blessing. The relief
below the balcony, by
Buonvicino (1614), is of
Jesus handing St. Peter
the keys.

51. Statues of Founder Saints
A St. Peter of Alcantara (below)
St. Lucy Filippini (above)
B St. Teresa of Jesus (b)
St. Madeleine Sophie Barat - (a)
C St. Camillo de Lellis (b)
St. Louis Grignion de Montfort (a)
D St. Vincent de Paul (b)
St. John Eudes (a)
E St. Ignatius of Loyola (b)
St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria (a)
F St. Philip Neri (b)
St. John Baptist de la Salle (a)G St Francis of
Paola (below)
St Peter Fourier (above)
H St John Bosco (above St Peter)
I St John of God (b)
St Mary Euphrasia Pellettier (a)
J St Peter Nolasco (b)
St Louise de Marillac (a)
K St Norbert (b) -St William (a)
L St Juliana Falconieri (b)
St Angela Merici (a)
M St Benedict (b) St Frances of Rome (a)
 N St Francis of Assisi (below)
St Alphonsus of Liguori (above)
O St Dominic (b)
St Francis Caracciolo (a)
P St Elijah (b) - St Francis de Sales (a)
Q St Bruno (b)
St Paul of the Cross (a)
R St Joseph Calasanctius (b)
St Bonfilius Monaldi(a)
S St Jerome Emiliani (b) - St Joan Antide Thouret(a)
T St Cajetan Thiene (b) St Frances Cabrini (a)

54. •The one on the right, with one hand to show European mean time,
is called the Oltramontano clock. The one on the left, showing Rome
time, is called the Italian clock.
•Since Bernini's bell towers had to be torn down, Giuseppe Valadier
designed these two clocks from 1786-1790.

55. Surmounting the balustrade you'll find Christ the
Redeemer, St. John the Baptist and 11 Apostles

56. THE SACRISTY AND TRESURY
Pius VI (1702-1786) had this built in 1776. The Treasury is entered from the
basilica, and contains gifts donated over the centuries.

57. 1. Entrance from the basilica
2. List of Popes Buried in St Peter’s
3. Connecting Room with the Corridor
4. Statue of Josemaria Escriva - Opus Dei
5. Corridor of the Treasury Museum
6. Museum Entrance - Gift Shop
7. Column from Constantinian Basilica
8. Chapel of the Beneficiaries
9. Dalmatic of Charlemagne
10. Monument of Sixtus IV
11. Treasury Museum Rooms
12. Sarcophagus of Giunio Basso
13. Chapel of the Sacristy Comune
14. The Sacristy
15. Corridor to the Sacristy
16. The Staircase of Honor
17. Statue of Pius VI
18. The Sala Capitolare
19. The Sacristy of the Canons
20. The Chapel of the Canons
21. The Corridor to the Choir
22. Piazza Bracchi
23. Statue of St. María Josefa

58. LIST OF POPES BURIED
IN ST.PETERS
CONNECTING ROOM WITH THE
CORRIDOE

59. STATUE OF JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA CORRIDOE OF THE TREASURY MUSE

60. COLUMN FROM CONSTANTANIAN
BASILICA MONUMENT OF SIXTUS VI

61. SACROPHAGUS OF GIUNIO BASSO
CHAPEL OF THE SACRISTY COM

62. THE SACRISTY CORRIDOR TO THE SACRISTY

63. THE STAIRCASE OF HONOUR STATUE OF PIUS VI

64. THE SALA CAPITOLARE THE SACRISTY OF THE CANONS

65. CHAPEL OF THE CANONS STATUE OF ST.MARIA JOSEFA

66. After taking the elevator and then walking around
the inside of the dome, you end up on the roof of St.
Peter's where you'll find a coffee bar and gift shop,
and a second elevator (or stairs) down into the
basilica

67. The roof of the Sistine is visible from St. Peter's
Square. It's from here that the famous white smoke
announcing a new pope is seen. Access to the
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel is a 15 min.
walk (north) around the Vatican walls.

68. Michelangelo's famous dome is accessed from an
elevator to the roof (€7), a walk inside the dome
(great view into the basilica), and then 323 steps to
the best view of Rome

69.  The Obelisk from Egypt was brought to
Rome by Emperor Caligula in 37 AD. It
originally stood in his circus on a spot to
the south of the basilica, close to the
present Sacristy
It is also a sun dial, its shadows
mark noon over the signs of the
zodiac in the white marble disks in
the paving of the square.