St. Peter's Basilica is the greatest Christian church in Rome.

St. Peter's Basilica is a Catholic cathedral, which is the largest building of the Vatican and until recently was considered the largest Christian church in the world.

White tent shining in the blue sky of Rome - dome St. Peter's Basilica, the main temple of the Catholic world. A temple that is more than five centuries old...

St. Peter's Basilica is located west of the center of Rome, within the sovereign state of Vatican City. History tells that on the site of the present St. Peter's Cathedral there was a circus, in the arena of which Christians were martyred during the time of Nero. In 67, the Apostle Peter was brought here after the trial. Peter asked that his execution not be compared to Christ’s. Then he was crucified head down. In 326, in memory of this, Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of a basilica in the name of St. Peter. When it fell into disrepair, Pope Nicholas V began construction of the cathedral in 1452. After his death, work was suspended, and only in 1506 did Pope Julius II commission the architect Bramante to build the cathedral. Bramante conceived the church in the form of a Greek equilateral cross. Almost all the major architects of Italy took turns participating in the design and construction of St. Petra. After Bramante's death, the work was entrusted to Raphael, who redesigned the church in the form of a Latin cross. Then the construction of the cathedral was led by Michelangelo. Michelangelo made all the supporting structures more massive and highlighted the main space. He erected the drum of the central dome, but the dome itself was completed after his death. Architects Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana, based on Michelangelo's design, erected two domes: an internal, rounded one, and an external, elongated one. Carlo Maderno completed the longitudinal chapels and designed the façade of the cathedral. Of the four small domes envisaged by Michelangelo's design, the architect Vignola erected only two. To the greatest extent, the architectural forms exactly as they were conceived by Michelangelo have been preserved on the altar, western side. On November 18, 1626, on the 1300th anniversary of the first basilica and 120 years after construction began, Pope Urban VIII consecrated the new cathedral.

But the story didn't end there. At the beginning of the 17th century. At the direction of Paul V, the architect Carlo Maderno lengthened the eastern branch of the cross - he added a three-nave basilica part to the centric building, thus returning to the shape of the Latin cross, and built a facade. As a result, the dome turned out to be a hidden façade, lost its dominant meaning and is only perceived from a distance, from Via della Concigliazione.

A square was needed that could accommodate the large number of believers who flocked to the cathedral to receive papal blessings or take part in religious celebrations. This task was completed by Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, who created in 1656-1667. The square in front of the cathedral is one of the most outstanding works of world urban planning practice. He also created a magnificent interior decoration and the famous canopy over the tomb of the apostle, whose name the cathedral bears. The colonnade framing the cathedral square is also his creation.

View from the cathedral to the square

A new altar was erected in the place of the previous one and a “window” was cut into the floor - a “confession box”, through which believers could see the tomb of St. Peter, hidden underground. Excavations carried out in the 1940s proved that the tomb of the apostle was located under the altar of the cathedral. This was evidenced by numerous facts, including inscriptions and images. Altar of the Cathedral of St. Petra faces west, not east, as in most Christian churches.

In front of the entrance to the cathedral there are statues of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Peter holds in his hands the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, handed to him by the Lord. There are five doors leading into the cathedral. The last one on the right side is the Holy One, and it opens only in the Holy Year. In ancient times, the beginning of the jubilee year was marked by the sound of a goat's horn trumpet called “yobel”, hence the word “jubilee”. The holy door is walled up with concrete. Every 25 years, on Christmas Eve (December 25), the concrete is broken before the anniversary year. After three kneelings and three blows of the hammer, the Holy Door swings open and the pope, taking the cross in his hands, is the first to enter the cathedral. At the end of the Jubilee Year, the door is closed again and sealed for the next 25 years.

The bronze doors of the central entrance were made by the Florentine master Filaret. At the top of the doors there are large figures of the Savior and the Mother of God sitting on the throne. In the center are the apostles Peter and St. Paul. The two lower hallmarks depict scenes of the trial of Nero and the subsequent execution of the apostles: the beheading of St. Paul and the crucifixion of St. Peter. Above the doors is a marble bas-relief by Bernini “Jesus Entrusting Peter with the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Among the laurel branches on the upper parts of the columns are visible the heraldic bees of the Barberini family. The bronze for the ciborium was taken from the Pantheon, having dismantled, by order of Pope Urban VIII (Barberini), the structures that supported the roof of the portico. Through the canopy one can see the Cathedral of St., located in the central apse and also created by Bernini. Petra. It includes the chair of St., supported by four statues of the church fathers. Peter, above which the symbol of the Holy Spirit hovers in radiance. To the right of the pulpit is the tombstone of Pope Urban VIII by Bernini, to the left is the tombstone of Paul III by Guglielmo della Porta, one of Michelangelo’s students.

Huge dome St. Peter's Basilica flies up like a light sheet lifted by the wind.

Along the frieze of the dome and further along the frieze of the entire church there is a mosaic inscription in Greek and Latin with the words of Christ: “You are Peter, and on this stone I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

The inner surface of the dome is decorated with images of the four Evangelists: Matthew - with the angel who led his hand while writing the Gospel, Mark - with the lion, Luke - with the ox, John - with the eagle. The lion, eagle and ox are called “apocalyptic beasts”, which John the Theologian writes about in the “Apocalypse” as animals that surrounded the throne of God.

The height of the facade is 45 m, the width is 115 m. The attic of the facade is crowned with huge, 5.65 m high, statues of Christ, John the Baptist and the eleven apostles (except for the Apostle Peter). From the portico, five portals lead to the cathedral.

The doors of the central portal were made in the middle of the 15th century. and come from the old basilica. Opposite this portal, above the entrance to the portico, is a famous mosaic by Giotto from the late 13th century. "Navichella". The reliefs of the leftmost portal - the “Gate of Death” - were created in 1949-1964. by the great sculptor Giacomo Manzu. The image of Pope John XXIII is very expressive.

Inside, the cathedral amazes with its harmony of proportions, its enormous size, and the richness of its decoration - there are a lot of statues, altars, tombstones, and many wonderful works of art. The total length of the basilica is 211.6 m. On the floor of the central nave there are marks showing the dimensions of other largest cathedrals in the world, which allows them to be compared with the largest, the Cathedral of St. Petra.

In the center of the cathedral stands an altar with unquenchable lamps. The altar is called the papal altar because only the Pope can celebrate Mass in front of it. Nearby is a bronze figure of St. Peter sitting on the papal throne and holding in his hand the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. The apostle’s feet have already turned white and worn away from the touches of believers: according to legend, if you make a wish and, holding Peter’s foot with your hand, ask with faith for the fulfillment of your plans, then everything will certainly come true.

In the first chapel on the right there is Michelangelo's masterpiece - the marble Pieta. It was created by him at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries at the age of 25. After the attacker attempted to break the statue, it was protected with glass.

Nearby is the small Chapel of the Crucifixion, which houses a magnificent wooden crucifix from the late 13th to early 14th centuries, attributed to Pietro Cavallini. A little further is the tombstone of Margravine Matilda of Canossa by Bernini with his students; she was the first woman to receive the honor of being buried in this cathedral.

Grille of the Chapel of St. The communion is made according to a drawing by Borromini. Next to the chapel is the tombstone of Gregory XIII; The bas-relief recalls the reform carried out by the pope - the introduction of a new, Gregorian, calendar. A little further is the tombstone of Clement XIII, made in the neoclassical style by the sculptor Canova. Of great interest is the work created in the 1490s. The tombstone of Innocent VIII by the sculptor Antonio Pollaiolo is one of the few surviving monuments that were still in the old basilica. Not far from the entrance you see another creation by the sculptor Canova - the tombstone of the last representatives of the Scottish royal Stuart family.

Along the entire perimeter of the cathedral there is a string of chapels, where there are outstanding works of art, precious relics of Christianity, and numerous tombs of popes, kings and emperors. In the cathedral sacristy there is a marble plaque with the names of all the high priests buried in the cathedral, starting with the first - the Apostle Peter. The numerous tombstones of the popes installed in the cathedral are mostly works of art made by great masters - Giotto, Bernini, Michelangelo, Guglielmo della Porta, Thorvaldsen. The cathedral contains the Spear of the centurion Longinus - the same one with which the Savior was pierced on the cross. It came to Rome from Constantinople. One of the chapels contains part of the relics of the Archbishop of Constantinople, St. John Chrysostom.

Until 1990, St. Peter's Basilica in Rome was the largest Christian temple in the world (in 1990 it was surpassed by the cathedral in Yamoussoukro, the capital of the African state of Cote'd Ivoire - former Ivory Coast). The size of the cathedral is amazing. It covers an area of 22067 square meters. The height of the cathedral is 133 meters, the length with the portico is 211.5 meters. By the way, the world's largest Christian church- the same Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Paix in Yamoussoukro - built on the model of St. Peter's Cathedral.

In 2007, the last work of Michelangelo Buonarotti, completed shortly before his death, was found in the Vatican archives. This is a red chalk sketch of a detail of one of the radial columns that make up the drum of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

St. Peter's Basilica became a symbol of power catholic church. But it also became a model whose features are recognizable in all major temple buildings of all Christian countries in subsequent centuries.

A couple more night views of St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica

The area where St. Peter's Cathedral is located has its own history, which dates back to Ancient Rome. In the second half of the 1st century AD, a Circus of Nero. In ancient times, circuses served as entertainment facilities for various competitions and performances. However, Nero also turned his circus into a place for executions, where Christians were tortured with particular cruelty. Among them was the Apostle Peter, who in 67 died on the cross in the arena of the Circus of Nero (he was crucified upside down). Peter’s remains were buried here, in the adjacent “circus” cemetery. Peter's tomb soon became a special place of veneration for Roman Christians, who subsequently decreed that when they were able to build their first temple, its altar would be located precisely at the burial site of St. Peter.

As is known, only under Emperor Constantine (beginning of the 4th century) persecution of the followers of Jesus Christ was stopped, and Christianity received the status of the dominant religion. The emperor contributed in every possible way to the construction of the first Christian temple, which received the name St. Peter's Basilica. Construction work has been completed in 326. The attraction immediately became the main center of pilgrimage in Rome. All coronations of elected pontiffs took place within the walls of the basilica, and in 800 Charlemagne was proclaimed Holy Roman Emperor here.

In 846 the basilica was plundered by the Saracens. Knowing that colossal treasures were located in the large temples of Rome, the Saracen warriors plundered those that were outside the walls of Aurelian (including St. Peter's Basilica).

In the middle In the 15th century, the old basilica, which had existed for eleven centuries, was in a dilapidated state, so Pope Nicholas V began work on reconstruction and expansion. However, a cardinal decision was made only by Julius II, who, wanting to strengthen papal influence, ordered the construction of a cathedral in its place, larger in size than all existing religious buildings in the world.

Construction of St. Peter's Basilica

The author of the architectural project for the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral cannot be called one person, since over a long period of time several famous masters were involved in the development and construction. First to start work in 1506 architect Donato Bramante, whose project included the construction of a structure in the shape of a Greek cross, and after his death he took up construction Rafael Santi, which returned the appearance of the Latin cross (that is, the temple was distinguished by one elongated side). Construction then continued under the leadership of Baldassare Peruzzi, and after him Antonio da Sangallo also contributed.

Almost 40 years later, a famous painter, sculptor and architect was assigned to lead the construction work. Michelangelo Buonarotti. His idea of a cathedral centered around a central dome became fundamental. Having strengthened the foundation of the structure and made it more monumental, the great architect developed a multi-columned entrance portico and erected the drum of the central dome. Michelangelo's project included four additional small domes, but after his death only two were realized by the architect Vignola, and the central dome was already erected Giacomo della Porta.

The reconstruction and rebuilding of St. Peter's Cathedral did not end there, and at the beginning of the 17th century, by the will of Paul V, the architect Carlo Maderna enlarged the eastern side of the structure by adding a three-nave basilica, and erected a façade on the western side. As a result, the dome was hidden by the monumental façade, lost its dominant significance and is only perceived from a distance (from Via della Conciliazione, which leads to St. Peter's Square). November 18, 1626 Pope Urban VIII consecrated St. Peter's Basilica.

Main facade

The monumental facade measures 45 by 115 meters and is topped by a cornice with an attic on which are installed statues of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and the eleven apostles, with the exception of the Apostle Peter. Statues of the apostles Paul (with a sword in his hand) and Peter (with the key to the Kingdom of Heaven) are located in front of the entrance to the cathedral. The architrave contains the inscription “Pope Paul V Borghese, Roman Pontiff in the year 1612, the seventh year of his pontificate, erected in honor of the Prince of the Apostles” (IN HONOREM PRINCIPIS APOST PAVLVS V BVRGHESIVS ROMANVS PONT MAX AN MDCXII PONT VII). The entrance to the cathedral is served by five portals:

Filaret portal(central portal). Made in bronze in the middle of the 15th century for the ancient Basilica of Constantine. The panels contain images of Christ enthroned, the Madonna enthroned, St. Peter and St. Paul. The lower panels show scenes of the martyrdom of two saints. On the left is the “Beheading of St. Paul,” on the right is the “Crucifixion on the Inverted Cross of St. Peter.” The portal is crowned with a bas-relief by Bernini “Jesus Entrusts Peter with the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

holy portal(last portal on the right). Made by Vico Consorti in bronze in 1950. The portal is opened only in the Holy Year of Jubilee, that is, once every 25 years. From inside the cathedral, the Holy Portal is walled up with stonework. On Christmas Eve, the masonry is dismantled, and after kneeling three times, the current pontiff enters first. At the end of the Jubilee Year, the portal is walled up for the next 25 years.

Portal of Death(first portal on the left). Manufactured in 1964. A procession passes through it during the funeral of the pontiff. The portal is decorated with images of the Holy Sepulcher, symbols of the Eucharist (bread, wine and vine branches), scenes of the murder of Abel, the death of Joseph and the martyrdom of St. Peter.

Portal of Good and Evil. Made by Luciano Minguzzi in the 70s of the 20th century.

Mystery Portal. Made by master Venanzo Crocetti commissioned by Paul VI, who first opened it in September 1965. The portal is decorated with an angel who announces the seven sacraments.

Dome

The dome of the cathedral, 138 meters high, rests on columns and is considered the tallest in the world. The inner surface of the dome is decorated with images of the four evangelists: Mark with a lion, Luke with an ox, John with an eagle and Matthew with the angel who guided his hand while writing the Gospel. The lion, eagle and ox are the so-called “apocalyptic beasts”, which John the Theologian writes about as animals that surrounded the throne of God. Around the inner circumference of the dome there is an inscription two meters high: “You are Peter, and on this stone I will build My Church and give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven” (TV ES PETRVS ET SVPER HANC PETRAM AEDIFICABO ECCLESIAM MEAM TIBI DABO CLAVES REGNI CAELORVM). At the bottom of the lantern there is a dedication: “To the glory of St. Peter, Sixtus V in the year 1590, in the fifth year of the pontificate” (S. PETRI GLORIAE SIXTVS PP. V. A. M. D. XC. PONTIF. V).

Michelangelo Before his death, he managed to finish only the supports and drum of the dome. Further work was carried out by his student Giacomo da Vignola with the participation of Giorgio Vasari. However, 19 years later, under the new Pope Sixtus V, Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana were appointed responsible for the construction. While completing the construction of the dome, the architects tried not to deviate from the plans of the author of the project, Michelangelo, and already in 1590 all work was completed. During the pontificate of Clement VIII, a cross was installed on the dome of the cathedral, on which were fixed two small shrines with the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called, a particle of the Life-Giving Cross and a medallion of the Lamb of God.

Interior

The interior of St. Peter's Cathedral is richly decorated with sculptures, bas-reliefs, paintings and other works of art. The central nave, on the floor of which there are marks that determine the size of the largest cathedrals in the world, is fenced. On the right, at the end of the main passage, there is a sculpture of St. Peter from the 13th century, which is considered miraculous, so every visitor tries to touch it.

In the center of the cathedral stands the main altar, at which only the Pope can serve mass. The altar is decorated with a monumental ciborium Bernini, mounted on four twisted columns that are topped with sculptures of angels. The height of the magnificent ciborium corresponds to a 4-story building. The unusual shape of the columns repeats the silhouette of a twisted column from the Temple of Solomon, delivered to Rome after the capture of Jerusalem. The bronze for the ciborium was barbarously borrowed from the ancient Roman one by order of Urban VII.

The main apse of the cathedral, also created by Bernini, contains the tombstones of Urban VIII and Paul III. Here is also the pulpit of St. Peter, where four statues of the church fathers support the throne of St. Peter.

On the side of the right nave is the Chapel of Mercy, where there is a sculptural group Pieta or Lamentation of Christ, the work of 24-year-old Michelangelo. Despite the fact that this is one of the first works of the young sculptor, it testifies to the full maturity of the work of Michelangelo, who deliberately emphasized the youth of the Madonna as a symbol eternal life. Next comes the Chapel of Saint Sebastian, where there is a large mosaic of the Martyrdom of San Sebastian, designed based on a painting by Domenichino, Pier Paolo Cristofari. In the altar of the chapel is the tomb of Blessed Pope John Paul II. Further along the passage there are monuments to Innocent XII by Filippo della Valle and Matilda Canossa's tombstone, Tuscan Margravine, which precedes the entrance to the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament. The entrance to the chapel leads through an iron gate, the lattice pattern of which is made according to a sketch by Borromini. The chapel was designed by Carlo Maderna. Inside is the tabernacle of the Holy Communion in gilded bronze by Lorenzo Bernini, dating from 1674, as well as the Trinity altar, a work by Pietro da Carton. In the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, the “kissing the foot” ritual took place, when believers kissed the remains of deceased pontiffs before their burial. This practice was stopped by Pius XII, whose body was displayed in the central nave after his death. Two monuments to Gregory XIII and Gregory XIV block the right passage.

The left nave opens to the Chapel of the Baptism, designed by Carlo Fontana and decorated with mosaics by Giovanni Battista Gaulli, which were completed after his death by Francesco Trevisani. The altar mosaic painting was made in imitation of the painting of Carlo Maratta, whose painting is currently in the Basilica of Santa Maria del Angele. Immediately behind the chapel is the tomb of the granddaughter of the Polish King John III, Maria Clementina Sobieska, with a tombstone by Pietro Bracci. The nearby Chapel of the Presentation houses the body of Pius X, and along the walls are monuments to John XXIII and Benedict XV, made in the 20th century. Nearby is the small Chapel of the Crucifixion, which houses a magnificent wooden crucifix dating from the early 14th century, believed to be the work of Pietro Cavallini. Of interest is the tombstone of Innocent VIII, created by the sculptor Antonio Pollaiolo in 1490, which was still in the old basilica. St. Peter's Cathedral also houses one of the last representatives of the Scottish royal Stuart dynasty, whose tombstone was made by famous sculptor Antonio Canova.

On the southern side of the crossroads there is the famous painting of Raphael “The Transfiguration” reproduced in mosaic. Further along the south transept is an unusual monument to Alexander VII, created by Lorenzo Bernini. In this sculptural composition, the Pope is depicted not according to church canons, sitting on a throne, but on his knees, immersed in prayer. In front of the pontiff there is a drapery of red marble, on which are supported on both sides by statues representing “Charity” and “Truth” on the one hand and “Justice” and “Prudence” on the other. In the center, from under a magnificent drapery, a skeleton figure is shown holding an hourglass with golden sand, as a symbol of the tireless flow of earthly life. This Baroque composition is considered one of Bernini's notable works.

Sacristy

The sacristy was originally located in the Rotunda of St. Andrew on south side the cathedral as a mausoleum of the imperial era of the second half of the 18th century. During several attempts to reconstruct the old sacristy, a design competition was announced in 1715, where the architect Philip Astoria won. He proposed to build a separate room for the sacristy as an extension to the existing cathedral. However, due to high construction costs, the construction of a new sacristy was delayed. It was only in 1776 that Pius VI commissioned Carlo Marchionni to build the sacristy, which we see today. The architect adhered to the general style decision and tried to fit it into the architecture of the cathedral. Currently, the Museum of Treasures of St. Peter's Basilica is located here, which contains the main sacred artifacts of the Catholic Church. Entrance to the museum is paid for with a separate ticket.

As a result archaeological excavations, initiated by Pius XII, the foundations of an ancient Roman basilica and the ruins of a Romanesque necropolis were discovered. Upon further research, bones wrapped in precious purple fabric were found in one of the niches of the necropolis in 1953. The discovery gave Pope Paul VI the basis to assert that, in all likelihood, these relics are the remains of the body of St. Peter. They are now in a tomb called the Confessional of St. Peter. You can go down to the Confessional along the double marble staircase, which is located in front of the main altar.

Interesting! The costs of building St. Peter's Cathedral turned out to be so great that to cover them, Pope Leo X had to sell the right to implement indulgences in the German lands to Albrecht of Brandenburg for a huge sum of money. The latter turned out to be an extremely greedy businessman. His abuse of indulgences became one of the reasons for the protest ideas of Luther, the Reformation and the subsequent split of Europe.

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Address: Vatican, St. Peter's Square
Date of construction: 1626
Height: 132.5 m
Shrines: Saint Peter's tomb
Coordinates: 41°54"07.7"N 12°27"12.0"E

North of the center of Rome, in the territory dwarf state of the Vatican, in Piazza San Pietro rises the Cathedral (Basilica) of St. Peter - the largest Catholic church in the world.

Bird's eye view of the cathedral

Its huge 136-meter dome seems to float above the Vatican. The largest churches in Europe could fit inside St. Peter's Basilica - this is evidenced by special marks on the floor showing their size. According to legend, at the base of the basilica there is the grave of St. Peter - one of the 12 disciples of I. Christ. During the Christian persecution of Nero, in 64, the Apostle Peter was crucified on an inverted cross upside down at his own request, since he considered himself unworthy to die the same death as Christ. In 324, the Roman Emperor Constantine I the Great erected a Christian temple over the burial site of the apostle. Legend says that in the first cathedral of St. Peter on Christmas night 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charles I the Great.

View of the cathedral from the south

During the Captivity of Avignon, when the residence of the popes was not in Rome, but in Avignon, St. Peter's Basilica fell into disrepair and was demolished at the beginning of the 16th century. On April 18, 1506, in its place, Pope Julius II laid the first stone in the foundation of the cathedral. In 1626, Pope Urban VIII consecrated the new temple.

St. Peter's Cathedral - the creation of the greatest masters of the Renaissance

Brilliant masters of the Renaissance took part in the construction of the cathedral. In 1506, the project of the architect Donato Bramante was approved, according to which the cathedral should be built in the form of a square with a Greek (equilateral) cross inscribed in it. After Bramante's death, construction was headed by Rafael Santi, who redesigned the church in the form of a Latin cross, that is, an elongated cross.

View of the cathedral from Castel Sant'Angelo

In 1546, 70-year-old Michelangelo took charge of the construction work. He returned to Bramante's idea, making the supporting structures more massive, and erected the drum of the central dome. After the death of Michelangelo, the architects Giacomo della Porta and Giacomo da Vignola completed the main dome, giving it a more elongated outline, and erected two small domes. In 1605, the architect Carlo Maderno lengthened the longitudinal axis of the cathedral, thus returning to the shape of the Latin cross, and erected a façade in the classical style. 50 years later, Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini built St. Peter's Square in front of the Cathedral.

Relics of the Saint's Cathedral

Peter The facade of St. Peter's Cathedral is crowned with huge statues of Christ, John the Baptist and 11 apostles (except St. Peter). There are five entrances to the cathedral. The last entrance on the right side, the so-called “Holy Gate”, is almost always locked - it opens only in the anniversary year, celebrated every quarter century.

View of the cathedral from the Tiber River

The interiors of the cathedral amaze with their grandiose size and richness of decoration. There are many altars, tombstones, stucco moldings, mosaics, and sculptures. Among the statues, Michelangelo's marble Pieta stands out. It depicts a grieving Madonna holding a lifeless Christ in her arms.

In 1972, Australian geologist Laszlo Toth tried to break the statue. Armed with a hammer, he attacked the Pietà, shouting: “I am Jesus Christ!” Since the medical commission recognized L. Toth as mentally ill, no charges were brought against him. After restoration, the statue was protected with bulletproof glass. In the center of the cathedral stands an altar surrounded by 44 unquenchable lamps.

General view of the cathedral

They are lit over the coffin in which the relics of St. Peter rest. Above the altar is a bronze ciborium (canopy) by Bernini, supported by four twisted columns. The top of the altar is crowned with a bronze ball with a cross, and under the ciborium hangs a gilded dove - a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Next to the tomb of the Apostle Peter, in the underground crypt, other holy popes also found their final refuge. Not far from the altar there is a bronze figure of St. Peter, who sits on the papal throne and holds in his hand the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. The statue is credited with miraculous power: if you make a wish and rub the apostle’s foot, asking him for help, then all your aspirations and hopes will be fulfilled.

Visit to St. Peter's Basilica

There are two ways to get to the top of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica - by elevator and by a staircase consisting of 500 steps. Co observation deck there are amazing views of Rome and the Vatican. To the left of the cathedral is the central entrance to the Vatican, guarded by guards.

Cathedral facade

Not a single solemn service in the Cathedral of St. is complete without the participation of the guards. Peter, not a single official reception with the Pope. The guards are dressed in striped yellow and purple medieval costumes. According to legend, this form was invented by Michelangelo himself. Planning a visit to the Cathedral of St. Petra must dress appropriately - shorts, short skirts, T-shirts and tops that expose the shoulders are not acceptable.

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So a little historical information on the topic of:
“The ancient Vatican began on one of the seven Roman hills - Monte Vatican, where at that time the priests of the Temple of Apollo lived, who predicted the future.
This place was considered holy and no one lived there. Gradually the temple fell into disrepair, lost part of the clergy, and under Emperor Gaius Julius Caligula an amphitheater for gladiator fights was erected here."

Due to the fact that the sun is mercilessly hot from the very morning, and the queue to the Vatican is very long.
We decided not to skimp and bought a tour in Russian - groups are allowed in without a queue.

(our Russian speaking guide)

(the scale of the disaster - the queue begins and stretches far, far along the walls)

Having passed through the metal detectors, you look at modern sculpture Giuliano Vanji.
Which symbolizes the main idea of the reign of John Paul II:
one of the bas-reliefs depicts a smiling John Paul II, who supports the figure of a Man - a symbol of all Humanity at the very moment when he breaks away from a block of marble,
taking shape and taking over the surrounding space. The title of the work is “Cross the threshold of hope”, with faith and confidence in the future to cross the threshold of the third millennium.

Climbing the winding stairs,

We found ourselves in the courtyard.

The first place we went to: Museo Gregoriano Etrusco- one of the Gregorian museums of the Vatican, located in the palace of Innocent VIII and the building of the times of Pope Pius IV.
We somehow ran through it very quickly. Nothing particularly memorable other than the architecture and sculptures of the courtyard.

The cone, dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, was once the central figure of an ancient fountain located in the Champs de Mars area.
Subsequently, a different use was found for the Schishka, and it was installed in the center of the entrance atrium of St. Peter's Basilica, built by Emperor Constantine.
It was covered with a luxurious canopy supported by four porphyry columns and decorated with bronze peacocks from the nearby Mausoleum of Hadrian.
It was used as a fountain in which pilgrims performed ablutions before entering the cathedral.
There are now copies of peacocks in the courtyard; the originals are kept in the New Wing of the museums.

"Sphere with Sphere" - a work by Milanese author Arnoldo Pomodoro, symbolizes, according to the author himself, the connection between the planet (small ball) and the Universe (big ball).
The ball was purchased for the collection of Vatican landmarks under Pope John Paul II in 1990.

The round hall is the “connecting element” of the initial part of the Pius-Clement Museum. In the middle of the Round Hall there is a huge garden bowl from the times of the Roman Empire.
In the recess there is a statue of Apoxymenes. Which depicts an athlete at the moment when he, using a scraper, tries to cleanse himself of the remaining oil, sand and sweat stuck to his body.
The statue is a copy in marble dating from the 1st century AD. from a bronze figure by the Greek master Lysippus.

Also from the balcony of the hall there is a wonderful panorama of the city:

Inner octagonal courtyard of the Belvedere Palace.
Initially, a square-shaped orange garden was laid out here, which was later transformed by order of Julius II and according to Bramante’s design into a garden of statues.

The shorter sides of the octagon are called “cabinets”; they house the most valuable statues that once adorned the ancient garden of Julius II.

In the central niche, on the left: a statue of Venus Felix, a copy of Praxiteles' Aphrodite of Cnidus, with a portrait head resembling the young Faustina, circa 170.
According to the signature on the base of the pedestal, the statue was dedicated to Venus the Fortunate by Sallust and Gelpides.

One of the most famous sculptures The courtyard is considered to be a Roman marble copy of the statue of Apollo Belvedere from the bronze original by the sculptor Leochares.

Statue of Fume (also called "Arno") and sarcophagus of Amazonomachy. The statue of the river deity is the fruit of many restorations and additions.
The right hand and head of the statue, addition and restoration during the Renaissance. There are suggestions that Michelangelo added and restored the statue.

Sculptural group "Laocoon and Sons".
According to legend, the priest Laocoon and his two sons were strangled by terrible snakes summoned from depths of the sea goddess Athena and god Poseidon.
The priest objected to the transportation to the city of a wooden Trojan horse, left by the Greeks as a sacrifice to Athena, who pretended that they had lifted the siege of the city, and even demanded that it be burned. The Trojans considered his death a sign from heaven and decided to accept the horse, inside which the Greek heroes were hiding, thus predetermining the sad fate of the city.
The legend of Laocoön has become a mythical warning to those who try to resist the inevitable:
the fall and destruction of Troy was predetermined in heaven, and from the flames that devoured it, Aeneas, the progenitor of a new family of founders of Rome, was to rise.
The sculpture was found in 1506, in the Esquilino area, in the area where the Golden Palace of Emperor Nero was once located.

The octagonal courtyard also houses an extensive collection of sarcophagi from the times of the ancient Romans, which at one time provided work for many specialized workshops,
constantly improving in the art of bas-relief and sometimes creating real masterpieces.
Carved tombs testify to the enviable financial position of the customers.

Through the octagonal courtyard we passed through the Hall of Animals - a real zoological museum in marble.

The Hall of the Muses in the center of which is the famous Belvedere Torso.

Apollo is depicted coming forward to play the cithara.
In ancient mythology, Apollo appears as the ruler of the magical Mount Parnassus, the god of music and poetry, surrounded by muses and considered the patron saint of soothsayers and poets.
The sculpture is a copy of the era of Emperor Hadrian

(from left to right: Melpomene - the muse of tragedy, Apollo, Erato - the muse of elegy)

Further Rotunda Hall.
Built by Michelangelo Simonetti in 1780 - 1782. in accordance with the ideals of 18th century classicism.
In the center of the hall there is a huge monolithic porphyry bowl (13 m in perimeter) from the Golden House of Emperor Nero.

The niches contain 18 statues and busts of Roman and Greek gods and heroes.

(the gilded bronze statue of Hercules is the only gilded statue surviving from antiquity)

Entrance to the Hall of the Greek Cross. The entrance portal is guarded by two giant figures of Atlanteans, made in the Egyptian style and formerly adorning the Villa of Hadrian;
The emperor made many trips to the eastern possessions and became imbued with a love for the culture of great civilizations.

The mosaic at the entrance to the hall was found during excavations of one of the Roman villas, where it decorated the triclinium (dining room), and was restored in the 18th century.

Immediately to the right before entering the long Gallery of Candelabra is the round Bigi Hall.
The hall was built by the architect Giuseppe Camporese and commissioned by Pope Pius VI.
It contains a Biga-Roman chariot drawn by two horses, a statue of the “Discobolus” (2nd century AD), and other statues and sarcophagi.

Main Galleries of the Papal Palace-Candelabra.
The ceiling fresco immediately at the entrance depicts the Pope's family coat of arms and his Papal emblem of two crossed keys under the Papal Crown.

Next Gallery-Gallery of Tapestries.
A 100-meter-long gallery, the main exhibits are tapestries from the Brussels manufactory of Pieter Cook van Aelst, woven in the 16th century.
Until this moment, they decorated the walls of the famous Sistine Chapel.

Gallery Geographic Maps.
The idea of the project belongs to Pope Gregory XIII, who wanted to reproduce a map of all of Italy.
The gallery is a corridor 120 m long and 6 m wide.
It is painted with 40 geographical maps depicting the former possessions of the Catholic Church and the most important regions of Italy in the era of Pope Gregory XIII.

After the Gallery of Maps and through the rooms of Pope Pius V's apartment and the Sobieski Hall.

Entrance hall of the dome (Vestibolo a Cupola) This is where the series of long, long galleries ends:

Our excursion program did not include a visit to Raphael’s Stanza, but I couldn’t miss it and carried Sergei along with me, which he never regretted later.
If you go directly, then down the stairs you will go down to the Sistine Chapel, but more on that later :)
From the Dome Entrance Hall we went left.
Sala dell’Immacolata, i.e. Immaculate Conception.
In Catholicism there is the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. According to him, the Mother of God was freed from original sin while still in her mother’s womb.

Stanzas of Raphael- a series of four rooms located above the Borgia Apartments.
These rooms were part of the personal apartments of Pope Julius II.
Famous artists of that time began to paint the stanzas - Balthazar Peruzzi, Sodoma, Perugino.
Bramante, the chief papal architect, introduced his protégé Raphael to Pope Julius.
The pope was delighted with the young artist’s sketches (Raphael was 25 years old) and commissioned Raphael to paint the stanzas.

First Stanza del Incendio di Borgo.
Painted by Raphael with scenes from the history of the papacy. The subjects are historical events that took place under the popes who bore the name "Leo".

The best fresco of this stanza, after which it is named, is “Fire in the Borgo” (upper right corner and left corner in the 2nd photo).

Fresco "Victory of Leo IV over the Saracens in the naval battle of Ostia in 849."

Fresco "Coronation of Charlemagne by Pope Leo III"

Then comes Hall of Constantine. This room was painted after the death of Raphael, according to the master’s sketches by his students.

Fresco by G. Romano "Battle of the Milvian Bridge"

Fresco "Baptism of Constantine the Great"

Stanza d'Eliodoro Raphael painted it in 1511-1514.
The theme of her paintings is the miraculous patronage provided by God to the church.

The fresco “The Expulsion of Eliodorus,” from which the stanza gets its name, tells how a heavenly horseman expels the Syrian commander Eliodorus from the Temple of Jerusalem, which he wanted to plunder.

It is believed that this plot contains an allusion to the expulsion of the French from the Papal States. On the left is Pope Julius II seated.
The character of this strong and powerful man is perfectly conveyed.

Fresco "The Liberation of the Apostle Peter from the Mamertine Prison":

Fresco "Mass in Bolsena". To the right of the altar is Pope Julius II.

Stanza della Segnatura was the papal office, and papal decrees were signed here.
This is the first of the stanzas painted by Raphael (1508-1511).
The theme of the painting is human spiritual activity. The frescoes represent four of its areas:
"The School of Athens" - philosophy, "Wisdom, Moderation and Strength" - justice.

"Parnassus" is poetry.

"Disputa" - theology. Depicts a dialogue about the sacrament of Holy Communion and the meaning of the host.

I don’t remember at all what kind of hall it was, but such amount of perfect beauty made me very emotional.
Perhaps the dances made the most powerful impression on him.

Next were the Borgia Apartments - the apartments of Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo de Borgia), located on the floor below Raphael's stations.
This part of the palace of Nicholas V was at the end of the 15th century. rebuilt into the personal apartments of Alexander VI and in the 1490s. decorated with paintings by Bernardino Pinturicchio and the artists of his workshop.

Thinker. Rodin

Collection of Contemporary Religious Art
55 halls display works of contemporary art: painting, sculpture, applied art, graphics, stained glass, donated to the Vatican by artists and collectors.
The early collection contained works by El Greco, Simone Martini, Tosi, Mancini and others. The collection's holdings include about 800 works by artists from all over the world.

Vincent Van Gogh "Pieta"

Gaetano Previati, Clair de lune (1909)

Henri Matisse "Madonna and Child"

Otto Dix, biblical stories. This is Saint Christopher carrying Jesus:

Pedro Cano “The Embrace” is my favorite painting, for some reason I liked it so much that I would take it home and hang it on the wall :)

Salvador Dali:

"Milan Cathedral from the Roof" by Giorgio de Chirico

Will Barnett “Four Generations” 1984 - Sergei and I found this picture somewhat creepy))

And finally, after we got a little confused in the corridors and went back towards the exit, we returned and went to Sistine Chapel u is a former house church in the Vatican. Built in 1473-1481 by the architect Giorgio de Dolci, commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV, hence the name.

Actually in the chapel It is forbidden(!) to take photographs and talk, but the noise is terrible.

"After the rapprochement between the pope and Lorenzo de' Medici (two years after the Pazzi conspiracy), a group of Florentine artists were invited to Rome,
where, together with Umbrian masters in 1481-83. decorated the walls of the Sistine Chapel.
These were Botticelli, Perugino, Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli, with the participation of their assistants:
Pinturicchio, Signorelli, Bartolomeo della Gatta, David Ghirlandaio, Piero di Cosimo, Biagio d'Antonio.
These frescoes contained many portrait figures (there are at least a hundred in the surviving 12 frescoes).
Originally there were 16 frescoes, 12 have survived."

"The painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is the most famous cycle of frescoes by Michelangelo, created in 1508-1512 and considered one of the recognized masterpieces of the art of the High Renaissance. The most difficult task set for him by Pope Julius II - Michelangelo, who called himself a sculptor, not a painter, did not have to still carry out such large-scale work in fresco technique,
— the master completed it in record time and practically alone."

After visiting the chapel, from which a comrade with a camera was kicked out :), we went back towards the exit.
A piece of the courtyard:

View of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica:

Again along the corridors of the museum:

Postcards from the Vatican to your loved ones:) *how can you resist such a wonderful tradition:)?*

Next to the post office there is a souvenir shop (whaaat? :)

And the layout of the Vatican:

Almost the whole day flew by unnoticed), we went out to the square in front of the cathedral and decided to look into it before sunset:

There is also a queue there because... You must go through metal detectors and keep in mind - follow the dress code!
(You cannot enter the cathedral with bare shoulders)

Saint Paul's Cathedral(Italian: Basilica di San Pietro) -Catholic cathedral, central and most large building Vatican City, the largest historical Christian church in the world.
One of the four patriarchal basilicas of Rome and the ceremonial center of the Roman Catholic Church. Several generations of great masters worked on its creation: Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini.
Capacity is about 60,000 people + 400 thousand people in the area.

"Lamentation of Christ"- the first and most outstanding pietà created by Michelangelo Buonarroti.
This is the only work of the sculptor that he signed/It was created by him at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries at the age of 23.
After the attacker attempted to break the statue, it was protected with glass.
Nearby is the small Chapel of the Crucifixion (or Relics), which houses a magnificent wooden crucifix from the late 13th to early 14th centuries, attributed to Pietro Cavallini.

The dome, an architectural masterpiece, has a height of 119 m inside and a diameter of 42 m. It is supported by four powerful pillars. In a niche of one of them there is a five-meter statue of St. Longina by Bernini.

Bernini's role in the creation of the sculptural decoration of the cathedral is very great; he worked here intermittently for almost fifty years, from 1620 to 1670.
In the under-dome space above the main altar there is Bernini’s masterpiece - a huge, 29 m high canopy (ciborium) on four twisted columns on which stand statues of angels.
Among the laurel branches on the upper parts of the columns are visible the heraldic bees of the Barberini family.
The bronze for the ciborium was taken from the Pantheon, having dismantled, by order of Pope Urban VIII (Barberini), the structures that supported the roof of the portico.
Through the canopy one can see the Cathedral of St., located in the central apse and also created by Bernini. Petra.
It includes the chair of St., supported by four statues of the church fathers. Peter, above which the symbol of the Holy Spirit hovers in radiance.
To the right of the pulpit is the tombstone of Pope Urban VIII by Bernini, to the left is the tombstone of Paul III (16th century) by Guglielmo della Porta, one of Michelangelo’s students.

Central nave- The total length of the basilica is 211.6 m.
On the floor of the central nave there are marks showing the dimensions of other major cathedrals in the world, allowing comparison with St. Petra.

At the end of the central nave, near the last pillar on the right, there is a statue of St. Peter's from the 13th century, attributed to Arnolfo di Cambio.
The statue is credited with miraculous properties, and numerous pilgrims reverently place their lips on the bronze leg.

The Swiss Guard is one of the branches of the Vatican's armed forces. It can rightfully be considered the oldest army in the world that has survived to this day.
Founded back in 1506, it is this moment includes only 100 guardsmen who train in the Swiss armed forces and serve in Vatika.
Swiss men of the Catholic faith only, aged 19 to 30, who have completed secondary education, are called up for military service on a voluntary basis.

We were a little tired, but damn happy with the time well spent :)

The main cathedral of the Catholic Church is located next to the site of the Circus of Nero, which became famous for the mass executions of early Christians. There used to be a cemetery on the site of the cathedral. Here, according to legend, Saint Peter was crucified. The first basilica was built over his grave in the 3rd century AD by Emperor Constantine. ">

According to providence, the Apostle Peter came to The eternal City in 43 to become the head of the Christian community. He was in Rome for 25 years. During the persecution of Christians, between the years 64 and 67, he suffered martyrdom in the Circus of Nero on the slope of the Vatican Hill and was buried in the ground, in a cemetery, not far from the road adjacent to the circus. The tomb of St. Peter is the fulcrum of the Vatican, the only reason and essence of all its buildings. If there had not been the grave of the former Galilean fisherman, a witness of the resurrection of Christ, who was sure that he would also be crucified, then a magnificent temple would not have arisen on this site and the beautiful city-state of the Vatican would not exist today.

St. Peter's Tomb became a cult site: around 160, the first enclosure walls and a small marble monument were built here. In 322, ten years after the recognition of Christian religious freedom, Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of the first basilica. It was essentially a temple-mausoleum of the Apostle. In the 6th century, Saint Gregory the Great built a throne for celebrating the Mass. In 1120, Pope Callistus II built an altar over this throne, called the Confession.

In 1452, they decided to rebuild the original cathedral, but only in 1506 did serious work begin. Construction of the temple lasted almost a hundred years, from 1506 to 1616, under 18 popes, from Julius II to Paul V, who inscribed his name on the facade. Many important works were encouraged by Popes Urban VIII and Alexander VII. The fate of the project, implemented and changed, is also difficult 12 great architects. The most famous of them: Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta, Domenico Fontana and Carlo Moderno. New St. Peter's Basilica was consecrated by Pope Urban VIII November 18, 1626.

The cathedral occupies more than 44,000 square meters, its length is about 187 meters, its width is 114.5 meters, almost like a football field, and its height is 46 meters. The immensity of the temple is eloquently indicated by the marks on the marble floor in the central nave. Here are the dimensions of other large Christian cathedrals that are inferior to it in size. The decoration of the Cathedral is stunning with an abundance of gold, mosaics, majestic statues of saints, tombstones of popes, and most importantly, amazing creations by Bernini and the young Michelangelo.

In the center, under the pediment, is the famous balcony from which the Pope addresses the faithful.

The basilica is built in the shape of a Latin cross. Until 1989, the cathedral was the largest temple in the world, until it was overtaken by the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Paix, built in Yamoussoukro, the capital of Cote d'Ivoire, by the way, in the image and likeness of the main character of my story.

Clock on the facade, with one hand. On the other side there is the same clock, but with two hands.

On the roof of the cathedral there are 13 statues - Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and 11 apostles, except the Apostle Peter.

The height of each statue is almost 6 meters.

The Vatican Army is the Swiss Guards. Nowadays there are only 110 of them, as you can guess from the name - they are all citizens of Switzerland. It is believed that their shape is sewn according to the sketches of Michelangelo. By the way, this is one of the oldest armies in the world that has survived to this day. True, it took part in hostilities only once - in 1527, when Rome was sacked by the troops of the Holy Roman Emperor.

Swiss Guard

Holy Gate

The cathedral is huge. It seems like you are entering along with a huge crowd, but inside this crowd suddenly disperses throughout the dimensionless hall and becomes completely invisible. During festivities, the cathedral can accommodate up to 60 thousand people.

The length of the central nave is 211 meters.

All this is no less impressive than the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, which until the construction of St. Peter's Basilica remained the largest Christian church in the world.

general view of the hall.

Ceiling

The interior of the cathedral is beautiful and solemn to the point of ripples in the eyes. Moreover, unlike Orthodox churches, this splendor and luxury are not at all flashy. You can admire the exquisite details for an endlessly long time - there really is something to look at.

Central nave

The total length of the basilica is 211.6 m. On the floor of the central nave there are marks showing the dimensions of other largest cathedrals in the world, which allows them to be compared with the largest Cathedral of St. Petra.

At the end of the central nave, at the last pillar on the right, there is statue of st. Peter XIII c., attributed to Arnolfo di Cambio. The statue of St. Peter, made of bronze in the 4th century by an unknown Syrian sculptor, enjoys extraordinary fame. It is believed that if you touch it and pray, your prayers will be heard. This custom is very ancient, so one foot of the statue is erased from the touches of worshipers.

Statue of St. Peter

In his left hand, St. Apostle Peter holds the keys to heaven. The wall behind the statue is decorated with mosaics rather than fabric.

St. Peter led the church for 25 years. For 19 centuries, the only pope who sat on the throne of Peter longer (1847-1878) than Peter himself was Pope Pius IX. His portrait is placed on the wall above the statue of the apostle. The alabaster pedestal was made in 1757 by Carlo Marchionni. The marble chair dates back to the early Renaissance.

On June 29, the day of memory of the Apostle Peter, his statue is dressed in clothes, so that it seems that the statue comes to life.

Throne of St. Peter and Glory

Nave of the basilica

Chair of St. Peter

Canopy over the papal altar and the tomb of St. Peter HERE

Ciborium (Greek κιβώριον, Lat. ciborium), ciborium, altar canopy - canopy (canopy) over the throne (altar), supported by columns. The plan is most often square and consists of four arches supported by four columns. In icon painting, the image of a ciborium symbolizes the altar.

Altar. It is believed that this is exactly the place where the Apostle Peter was buried. Above the altar there is a thirty-meter ciborium on curved columns, again by Bernini.

The subject of the painting on the Altar is the festive mass of St. Basil in the presence of the Roman Emperor Valens.St.

Under the altar stands a sarcophagus containing the embalmed body of Pope John XXIII.

Altar of St. Jerome. Altarpiece "Last Communion of St. Jerome" by the artist Domenichino, 1614. Translated into mosaic in 1744. The famous painting is now kept in the Pinacoteca of the Vatican. The painting depicts St. Jerome receiving last communion from St. Ephraim, who is helped by St. Paula.

Canopy

In the under-dome space above the main altar there is a masterpiece by Bernini - huge, 29 m high canopy (ciborium) on four twisted columns on which stand statues of angels. Among the laurel branches on the upper parts of the columns are visible the heraldic bees of the Barberini family. The bronze for the ciborium was taken from the Pantheon, having dismantled, by order of Pope Urban VIII (Barberini), the structures that supported the roof of the portico. Through the canopy you can see the Cathedra of St. Peter, located in the central apse and also created by Bernini. It includes the chair of St., supported by four statues of the church fathers. Peter, above which the symbol of the Holy Spirit hovers in radiance.

Soaring in the glow symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Right nave

In the first chapel of the right nave there is a brilliant creation by the twenty-year-old Michelangelo “Lamentation of Christ” (Pietà) .

The sculpture was carved from a single block of white marble from Carrara, and on the ribbon encircling the Madonna, the sculptor carved the inscription “Michelangelo is a Florentine” .

This is the only work personally signed by Michelangelo.

Michelangelo worked on this creation for more than two years. The sculpture depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary holding her dead son, Christ, on her lap. The beauty of lines perfect proportions Life-size bodies, young faces and the Mother’s grief are so obvious that you want to freeze in silent bow before Michelangelo’s immortal masterpiece.