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Rome Itineraries

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Touring Saint Peter's
and Castel San Angelo

Ranking the Top Attractions | Suggested Itineraries
Touring on Your Own | Beyond the Basics | Lesser-known Sites
Visiting Hours | Retreats from Big-city Hustle and Bustle
Excursions Beyond the City's Walls | Beneath the City

The Basic Tours: Vatican | Ancient Rome | Christian Rome
Art and a Stroll | Renaissance Rome

Complete Index of Articles on Rome/Italy

St. Peter's

St. Peter's is almost overwhelming. Having seen many Roman churches before St. Peter's, Ed almost passed it up on his first trip. He found the almost-didn't-happen visit stunning.

The church is difficult to describe since it is incomparable to virtually anything else architectural, whether place of worship or more worldly. At its time it was the largest construction project ever undertaken, and was not surpassed in height in Europe until the erection of the Eiffel Tower.

It's physically and quantitatively enormous:

364 feet wide 730 feet long
438 feet high covers just under 5 acres
44 altars 27 chapels
11 domes 800 chandeliers
778 columns 395 statues
290 windows 135 mosaics

Room, literally, for a football game (or two) in the nave.

But the enormity is dwarfed ... by the beauty, elegance and proportion. The square provides an exquisite setting. The Bernini colonnade is exceptionally graceful, and geometrically precise.

If you stand in the Piazza on one of the marked spots near the fountains ("Centro del Colonnato") and observe the nearby colonnade, you'll see only the front column of the four ranks of columns. (Watch out for the fountains on a windy day.)

The exterior, especially the setting of the dome, can be seen in the way Michaelangelo intended only by viewing it from further back on via della Conciliazione. Carlo Maderno extended the form from a Greek cross to a Roman cross, thus spoiling the view of the magnificent dome.

Cassette or CD tours are usually available in the portico of the church. At certain times free guided tours are offered; check with the Vatican Tourist Office. (The Office relocates from time to time ... at last sighting it was in a square to the left (south) of St. Peter's Square. Of late they've run free tours of the Basilica every afternoon.)

Michaelangelo's Pieta is the work of art (in the first chapel on the right). Michaelangelo created the work when only 20 years old. A stunning work of art for anyone, let alone a youth.

After the Pieta, the Baldichino over the main altar is, for us, the next main attraction. Also see the window of the Holy Ghost at the rear, and next to it, the symbolic chair of the Bishop of Rome. Tradition holds that it contains Peter's original chair.

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Even to a cynic on Church relics, the evidence does support this spot as a burial place of an older, large man, one that has been venerated at least since the first or second century in the Common Era. Want to know more about this? Be sure and arrange to take the tour of the Vatican Necropolis.

The main altar, the Confessio, is placed, according to tradition, directly over the actual tomb of Peter. Pius XII instituted serious excavations in the 1940s. The evidence is strong that the altar may, indeed, be over the tomb of Peter.

On the right side of the nave, just before the crossing, northeast of the main altar, you'll find an ancient bronze statue of Peter. Its foot is worn to a nub by being touched, and indeed kissed, by so many over so many years. You'll also find, in the nave toward the entrance, markers in the center of the aisle showing the lengths of other large churches.

Do visit the grottoes underneath. (Not to be confused with the Necropolis.) You'll find the entrance at one of the four pillars supporting the dome - beneath the Apostles' statues. Do it at the end of your visit as you'll exit to the north side exterior of the church, a few minutes walk from the entrance. From the flowers at the tombs, you can easily see which is the most popular pope.

Outside, near the grotto exit, you'll find the elevator to the roof. You'll also find here, to the right side of the church facing the front, in case you didn't visit the grottoes, public toilets. Many of you will want to climb to the lantern at the very top of the basilica, while others will just stop at the roof. Join us for a brief overview of what's in store for you at the end of that elevator ride.

Outside the scope of a 'walk', you may want to consider making special plans for your visit to Rome. The Vatican area by itself merits a trip to Europe. In addition to St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums, one can experience an audience with the Pope, tour the Vatican Gardens and explore the 'Necropolis' beneath St. Peter's -- each, especially the Necropolis, a special once-in-a-lifetime experience.

They're open to the public, but most tourists don't take advantage of them because 1) they're unaware of the opportunity; 2) advance reservations are required.

You can obtain a "Useful Information" sheet at the Vatican  Information Office on the south side of the square. Before your trip check out our Summary of Vatican Visitor Information. You may also wish to visit the Vatican's home page.

The Vatican, on behalf of its communicants, has expectations that you will dress and behave during your visit in a fashion respectful of the sites and what they represent. To hundreds of millions this is a very holy place.

Visiting Hours

Short history and photos of St. Peter's

Castel St. Angelo

After visiting the center of Roman Christendom, walk down Castel San Angelovia della Conciliazione to Castel St. Angelo. While somewhat anticlimactic after the Vatican and St. Peter's, the Castel has its own fascination.

You'll discover a building with an interesting history. Its owners have used and abused it as a tomb, refuse heap, quarry, fortress, hideout, and palace. Built as the tomb of the emperor Hadrian and relatives and descendants, it became a fortress refuge of the Popes. (A tunnel atop a wall connects it with the Vatican.)

If the weather is fine, you may wish to enjoy a Cappuccino and the view on the terrace.  Some find this the most memorable of Rome's truly ancient monuments. In any event we strongly recommend a visit.

Visiting Hours of Rome's Major Sights

Return to the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums

Return to Vatican City

Back to Rome Sights

Top of Page

Ranking the Top Attractions | Suggested Itineraries
Touring on Your Own | Beyond the Basics | Lesser-known Sites
Visiting Hours | Retreats from Big-city Hustle and Bustle
Excursions Beyond the City's Walls

St. Peter's and Castel San Angelo | Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Ancient Rome | Christian Rome
Art and a Stroll | Renaissance Rome

Complete Index of Articles on Rome/Italy

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Last Revision September 7, 2001

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