User:Cyde/List of candidates for speedy deletion and St. Peter's Basilica: Difference between pages

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{{otheruses4|the famous building in Rome|other meanings|St. Peter's}}

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{{Infobox religious building

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|building_name=Saint Peter's Basilica<br>Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano

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|image=[[Image:Petersdom von Engelsburg gesehen.jpg|300px|]]

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|caption=The Basilica of Saint Peter from [[Castel Sant'Angelo]]. The basilica is the largest religious building in the world<ref name="UNESCO Article">[http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/286]</ref> and is often used by the Pope.

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|___location=[[Vatican City]]

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|geo={{coor dms|41|54|08|N|12|27|12|E}}

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|religious_affiliation=[[Roman Catholic]]

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|district=

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|consecration_year=

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|status=Major basilica

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|leadership=

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|website=

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|architect=[[Donato Bramante]], [[Antonio da Sangallo the Younger]] (1520 - 1546), [[Michelangelo]] (1546 - ?), [[Giacomo della Porta]]

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|architecture_type=[[Church]]

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|year started=1506

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|year_completed=1626

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|capacity=60,000 +

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}}

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The '''Basilica of Saint Petrus''', officially known in [[Italian language|Italian]] as the '''Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano''' and commonly called '''Saint Peter's Basilica''', is one of four [[major basilica]]s of [[Rome]] ([[St. John Lateran]], St. Peter's, [[Santa Maria Maggiore]] and [[St. Paul outside the Walls]]). It is the most prominent building inside the [[Vatican City]]. [[St. Peter's Basilica#Dome|Its dome]] is also a dominant feature of the Roman skyline. Saint Peter's is also incidentally the patriarchal basilica of Constantinople whereas the Lateran Basilica is the patriarchal basilica of Rome. Possibly the largest [[church building]] in [[Christianity]]<ref>The [[Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro]] in Africa has a higher dome and is both longer and wider. However, measures of the latter include also a rectorate and a villa not stricly part of the church; its capacity is also much lower: 18,000 people against St. Peter's 60,000.</ref>, it covers an area of 5.7&nbsp;[[acre]]s (2.3&nbsp;[[Hectare|ha]]) and has a capacity of over 60,000 people. One of the holiest sites of [[Christendom]] in the Catholic tradition, it is traditionally the burial site of its namesake [[Saint Peter]], who was one of the twelve [[apostle]]s of [[Jesus]], first [[Bishop of Antioch]], and later first [[Bishop of Rome]]. Although the New Testament does not mention Peter's presence or martyrdom in Rome, ancient tradition holds that his [[tomb]] is below the baldachin and [[altar]]; for this reason, many [[Pope]]s, starting with the first ones, have been buried there. Construction on the current basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on [[April 18]], [[1506]] and was completed in 1626<ref>''Columbia Magazine'', April 2006, page 18.</ref>.

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Although the Vatican basilica is not the Pope's official ecclesiastical seat ([[Saint John Lateran]]), it is most certainly his principal church, as most Papal ceremonies take place at St. Peter's due to its size, proximity to the Papal residence, and ___location within the Vatican City walls. The basilica also holds a relic of the ''[[Cathedra]] Petri'', the episcopal throne of the basilica's namesake when he led the Roman church, but which is no longer used as the Papal ''cathedra''. It is believed that a piece of this cathedra, or chair, is contained within the altarpiece, designed by [[Bernini]].

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==Details==

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[[Image:Vivianocodazzi stpetersbasilica.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Basilica of Saint Peter, portrayed by [[Viviano Codazzi]] in a 1630 painting. Note the two bell towers, later removed.]]

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[[Image:St Peter's Square, Vatican City - April 2007.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Saint Peter's Square|Piazza di San Pietro]].]]

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===Burial site of St Peter===

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{{Main|Saint Peter's tomb}}

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===Old St. Peter's===

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{{Main|Old Saint Peter's Basilica}}

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===Other burials===

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There are over 100 tombs located within St. Peter's Basilica, many located in the ''[[Vatican grotto]]'', beneath the Basilica. These include 91 popes, St. [[Ignatius of Antioch]], and the composer [[Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina]]. Exiled Catholic British royalty [[James Francis Edward Stuart]] and his two sons, [[Charles Edward Stuart]] and [[Henry Benedict Stuart]], are buried here, due to being granted asylum by [[Pope Clement XI]]. The most prominent woman entombed is [[Christina of Sweden]], who abdicated her throne in order to convert to Catholicism. The most recent interment was [[Pope John Paul II]], on [[April 8]] [[2005]]. Beneath, near the [[crypt]], is the recently-discovered vaulted fourth-century "[[Tomb of the Julii]]".

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===St Peter's Square===

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{{main|Saint Peter's Square}}

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Directly to the east of the church is [[Saint Peter's Square|St Peter's Square (''Piazza di San Pietro'')]], built by Gianlorenzo Bernini between 1656 and 1667. It is surrounded by an elliptical colonnade with two pairs of [[Doric]] [[columns]] which form its breadth, each bearing [[Ionic order|Ionic]] [[entablatures]]. The colonnade wraps around the square, embracing the faithful in "the motherly arms of the church"<ref name="greatbuildings">[http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Piazza_of_St._Peters.html Piazza of St. Peter's - Bernini]</ref>. This is an excellent example of [[Baroque]] [[architecture]], where creativity is coupled with flexible guidelines. In the center of the [[colonnade]] is a 25.5 [[metre]] (83.6&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|ft]]) tall obelisk. [[Domenico Fontana]] finished moving the [[obelisk]] to its present ___location on [[September 28]], [[1586]] by order of [[Pope Sixtus V]]. The obelisk dates back to the 13th century BC in [[Egypt]], and was moved to Rome in [[Anno Domini|AD]]&nbsp;37 to stand in the [[Circus of Nero]] some 250 metres (820&nbsp;ft) away. Including the cross on top and its base, the obelisk reaches 40 metres (131&nbsp;ft). The Vatican obelisk is notable for being the second largest standing obelisk and the only one that remained standing since it was erected during the Roman Empire. An original bronze globe on top of the structure was removed when the obelisk was re-erected in St Peter's Square by Domenico Fontana. There are also two fountains in the square, the north one by [[Carlo Maderno|Maderno]] (1613) and the southern one by [[Gian Lorenzo Bernini|Bernini]] (1675). The square is reached mainly through the [[Via della Conciliazione]] built by Mussolini after the conclusion of the [[Lateran Treaties]].

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===Dome===

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There is a widespread assumption that the dome, or ''[[cupola]]'', as it presently stands, was designed by [[Michelangelo]], who became chief architect in 1546. In fact, Michelangelo's design called for a spherical dome. At the time of his death (1564), only the drum set, the base on which a dome rests, had been completed. The dome proper was redesigned and vaulted by the architect [[Giacomo della Porta]], with the assistance of [[Domenico Fontana]], who was probably the best engineer of the day. Fontana built the lantern the following year, and the finial was placed in 1593. Many are fascinated by the ability of the artist of who created it.

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[[Image:michdome.jpg|thumb|left|260px|The dome, as designed by [[Michelangelo]].]]

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As built, the double dome is brick, 42.3 meters (138.8 [[feet (unit of length)|ft]]) in interior diameter (almost as large as the [[Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon]]), rising to 120 meters (394 ft) above the floor. In the mid-18th century, cracks appeared in the dome, so four iron chains were installed between the two shells to bind it, like the rings that keep a barrel from bursting. (Visitors who climb the spiral stairs between the dome shells can glimpse them.) The four piers of the [[crossing (architecture)|crossing]] that support it are each 18 metres (59 ft) across. It is not simply its vast scale (136.57 m or 448.06 ft from the floor of the church to the top of the added cross) that makes it extraordinary. Della Porta's dome is not a [[Sphere|hemisphere]], but a [[paraboloid]]: it has a vertical thrust, which is made more emphatic by the bold ribbing that springs from the paired [[Corinthian order|Corinthian columns]], which appear to be part of the drum, but which stand away from it like buttresses, to absorb the outward thrust of the dome's weight. The grand arched openings just visible in the illustration but normally invisible to viewers below, enable access (but not to the public) all around the base of the drum; they are dwarfed by the monumental scale of their surroundings. Above, the vaulted dome rises to Fontana's two-stage lantern, capped with a spire.

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The egg-shaped dome exerts less outward thrust than a lower hemispheric one (such as [[Jules Hardouin Mansart|Mansart]]'s at [[Les Invalides]]) would have done. The dome conceived by [[Donato Bramante]] at the outset in 1503 was planned to be carried out with a single masonry shell, a plan discovered to be infeasible. [[Antonio da Sangallo the Younger]] came up with the double shell, and Michelangelo improved upon it. The piers at the crossing, which were the first masonry to be laid, and which were intended to support the original dome, were a constant concern, too slender in Bramante's plan, they were redesigned several times as the dome plans evolved.

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[[Image:StPetersDomePD.jpg|thumb|right|275px|The dome, redesigned and completed by Giacomo della Porta in 1590.]]

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[[Image:Holy-door.jpg|thumb|right|275px|[[Holy Door]], the northern most entrance at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.]]

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[[Image:Altar of St Peter's Basilica.jpg|right|thumb|275px|''Cathedra Petri'', Altar of the [[Chair of St. Peter]].]]

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Other domes around the world, built since, are generally compared to this one or contrasted with it.

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=== Entrances ===

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Above the main entrance is the inscription, {{cquote|<small>IN HONOREM PRINCIPIS APOST PAVLVS V BVRGHESIVS ROMANVS PONT MAX AN MDCXII PONT VII</small><br> (''In honor of the prince of apostles; by [[Pope Paul V|Paul V]] Borghese, a Roman, Supreme Pontiff, in the year 1612 and the seventh year of his pontificate'').}}

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The façade is 114.69 metres (376.28&nbsp;ft) wide and 45.55 metres (149.44&nbsp;ft) high. On top are statues of Christ, [[John the Baptist]], and eleven of the apostles; The statues of St Peter and St Paul are in front of the parish. Two clocks are on either side of the top, the one on the left has been operated electrically since 1931, its oldest bell dating to 1288.

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Between the façade and the interior is the [[portico]]. Mainly designed by Maderno, it contains an 18th century statue of [[Charlemagne]] by [[Agostino Cornacchini|Cornacchini]] to the south, and an [[equestrian sculpture]] of [[Constantine I|Emperor Constantine]] by Bernini (1670) to the north. The southernmost door, designed by [[Giacomo Manzù]], is called the "Door of the Dead". The door in the center is by [[Antonio Averulino]] (1455), and preserved from the previous basilica.

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The northernmost door is the "Holy Door" in bronze by [[Vico Consorti]] (1950), which is by tradition, only opened for great celebrations such as [[Jubilee (Christian)|Jubilee years]]. Above it are inscriptions, the top reading <small>PAVLVS V PONT MAX ANNO XIII</small>, and the one just above the door reading <small>GREGORIVS XIII PONT MAX</small>. In between are white slabs commemorating the most recent openings. <!-- This is taken from an old source, has the inscription been renewed since 2000, and, if so, what does it read? -->

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{|

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| style="vertical-align:top;" |

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<small>IOANNES PAVLVS II P.M.<br>

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PORTAM SANCTAM<br>

*[[Wikipedia talk:Wikiportal/Aviation/Historical anniversaries]]

ANNO IVBILAEI MCMLXXVI<br>

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A PAVLO PP VI<br>

RESERVATAM ET CLAVSAM<br>

APERVIT ET CLAVSIT<br>

ANNO IVB HVMANE REDEMP<br>

MCMLXXXIII &ndash; MCMLXXXIV<br>

</small>

| style="vertical-align:top;" |

<small>

IOANNES PAVLVS II P.M.<br>

ITERVM PORTAM SANCTAM<br>

APERVIT ET CLAVSIT<br>

ANNO MAGNI IVBILAEI<br>

AB INCARNATIONE DOMINI<br>

MM-MMI<br>

</small>

| style="vertical-align:top;" |

<small>

PAVLVS VI PONT MAX<br>

HVIVS PATRIARCALIS<br>

VATICANAE BASILICAE<br>

PORTAM SANCTAM<br>

APERVIT ET CLAVSIT<br>

ANNO IVBILAEI MCMLXXV<br>

</small>

|-

|<small>In the jubilee year of human redemption 1983-4, [[Pope John Paul II|John Paul II]], [[Pontifex Maximus]], opened and closed again the holy door closed and set apart by Paul VI in 1976.

</small>

|<small>John Paul II, Pontifex Maximus, again opened and closed the holy door in the year of the great jubilee, from the incarnation of the Lord 2000-2001.

</small>

|<small>Paul VI, Pontifex Maximus, opened and closed the holy door of this patriarchal Vatican basilica in the jubilee year of 1975.

</small>

|}

===Interior===

Walking along the right aisle of the basilica, there are several noteworthy [[church monument|monuments and memorials]]. The first is Michelangelo's [[Michelangelo's Pietà|''Pietà'']], located immediately to the right of the entrance. After an incident in 1972 when an individual damaged it with an [[axe]], the sculpture was placed behind protective glass. Up the aisle is the monument of [[Queen Christina of Sweden]], who abdicated in 1654 in order to convert to Catholicism. Further up are the monuments of popes [[Pope Pius XI|Pius XI]] and [[Pope Pius XII|Pius XII]], as well as the altar of [[Sebastian|St Sebastian]]. Even further up is the [[Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament]], which is open during religious services only. Inside it is a tabernacle on the altar resembling [[Donato Bramante|Bramante]]'s ''Tempietto'' at [[San Pietro in Montorio]]. Bernini sculpted this gilded bronze tabernacle in 1674. The two kneeling angels were added later. Further still are the monuments of popes [[Pope Gregory XIII|Gregory XIII]] (completed in 1723 by [[Camillo Rusconi|Rusconi]]) and [[Pope Gregory XIV|Gregory XIV]].

In the northwestern corner of the nave sits the statue of St. Peter Enthroned, attributed to late 13th century sculptor [[Arnolfo di Cambio]] (with some scholars dating it back to the 5th century). The foot of the statue is eroded due to centuries of pilgrims kissing it. Along the floor of the nave are markers with the comparative lengths of other churches, starting from the entrance (not an original detail). Along the pilasters are niches housing 39 statues of saints who founded religious orders.

Walking down the left aisle there is the Altar of Transfiguration. Walking down towards the entrance are the monuments to [[Pope Leo XI|Leo XI]] and [[Pope Innocent XI|Innocent XI]] followed by the ''Chapel of the Immaculate Virgin Mary''. After that come the monuments to [[Pope Pius X|Pius X]] and [[Pope Innocent VIII|Innocent VIII]], then the monuments to [[Pope John XXIII|John XXIII]] and [[Pope Benedict XV|Benedict XV]], and the Chapel of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin. After that comes the [[Monument to the Royal Stuarts]], directly opposite the one to [[Maria Klementyna Sobieska|Maria Clementina Sobieska]]. Symmetrically, the two monarchs who gave up their thrones for their [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] faith in the 17th century, are honored side by side in the most important church in Catholicism. Finally, right before the end of the church, is the Baptistry.

The right transept contains three altars, of [[Saint Wenceslas|St. Wenceslas]], [[Processus and Martinian|St. Processus and St. Martinian]], and [[St Erasmus|St. Erasmus]]. The left transept also contains three altars, that of [[St Peter's Crucifixion]], [[St. Joseph]] and [[Thomas (apostle)|St. Thomas]]. West of the left transept is the monument to [[Pope Alexander VII|Alexander VII]] by Bernini. A skeleton lifts a fold of red marble drapery and holds an hourglass symbolising the inevitability of death. He is flanked on the right by a statue representing religion, who holds her foot atop a globe, with a thorn piercing her toe from the [[British Isles]], symbolizing the pope's problems with the [[Church of England]].

Over the main altar stands a 30 metres (98 ft) tall [[St. Peter's baldachin|baldachin]] held by four immense pillars, all designed by Bernini between 1624 and 1632. The baldachin was built to fill the space beneath the cupola, and it is said that the bronze used to make it was taken from the Pantheon. The representation of a chair, part of the sculpture, is said to contain the remnants of the chair belonging to Saint Peter (It is also said that it is the largest bronze piece in the world.) Underneath the baldachin is the traditional tomb of St. Peter. In the four corners surrounding the baldachin are statues of [[Helena of Constantinople|St. Helena]] (northwest, holding a large cross in her right hand, by [[Andrea Bolgi]]), [[Longinus (Christian mythology)|St. Longinus]] (northeast, holding his spear in his right hand, by Bernini in 1639), [[Saint Andrew|St. Andrew]] (southeast, spread upon the cross which bears his name, by [[Francois Duquesnoy]]) and [[Saint Veronica|St. Veronica]] (southwest, holding her veil, by [[Francesco Mochi]]). Each of these statues represents a relic associated with the person, respectively, a piece of [[True Cross|The Cross]], the [[Spear of Destiny, The Spear of Longinus]], St Andrew's head (as well as part of his cross) and [[Veronica's Veil]]. In 1964, St Andrew's head was returned to the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Greek Orthodox Church]] by the Pope. It should be noted that the Vatican makes no claims as to the authenticity of several of these relics, and in fact other Catholic churches also possess "the same" relics.

Along the base of the inside of the dome is written, in letters 2 metres (6.5 ft) high, <small>TV ES PETRVS ET SVPER HANC PETRAM AEDIFICABO ECCLESIAM MEAM. TIBI DABO CLAVES REGNI CAELORVM</small> ([[Vulgate]], from {{bibleverse||Matthew|16:18-19|4}}; "...you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. ... I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven...."). Near the top of the dome is another, smaller, circular inscription: <small>S. PETRI GLORIAE SIXTVS PP. V. A. M. D. XC. PONTIF. V.</small> (''To the glory of St Peter; Sixtus V, pope, in the year 1590 and the fifth year of his pontificate'').

[[Image:Cardinals at StPeters.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Interior of the apse showing Cardinals at Mass two days before [[conclave]], [[April 16]], [[2005]].]]

''[[St Petronilla Altarpiece|The Burial of St Petronilla]]'' is an altarpiece painted by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri ([[Guercino]]) in 1623. It simultaneously depicts the burial and the welcoming to heaven of the martyred [[St. Petronilla]]. The altar is dedicated to the saint, and contains her relics.

At the [[apse]] of the church is the ''Triumph of the Chair of Saint Peter'' (1666) by Bernini, a focus of the Feast of ''Cathedra Petri'' celebrated annually on [[February 22]] in accordance to the [[calendar of saints]]. The triumph is topped by a yellow window (made of finely cut alabaster)in with the image of a dove, portraying the [[Holy Spirit]], surrounded by twelve rays, symbolising the apostles. The rays protruding from the window also symbolize the grace of God, supporting the Chair of Peter to show the source of the authority. The Chair is made of a bronze encasing, which is a [[relic]] of the chair of St Peter, given to the Vatican from [[Charles the Bald]] in 875. To the right of the chair are [[Ambrose|St. Ambrose]] and [[Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine]] (fathers of the Latin church), and to the left are [[Athanasius of Alexandria|St. Athanasius]] and [[John Chrysostom|St. John Chrysostom]] (fathers of the Greek church). Further to the right is the monument to [[Pope Urban VIII|Urban VIII]], by Bernini, and further to the left is the monument to [[Pope Paul III|Paul III]].

<br clear="both" />

===Gallery===

<center><gallery>

Image:Acrosstiber.jpg|The Basilica of Saint Peter as viewed from the Ponte Sant'Angelo

Image:Saint Peter's Facade at Dusk.jpg|The facade of Saint Peter's Basilica at dusk

Image:StPetersBasilica01 gobeirne.jpg|...and at dawn

Image:San Pietro in Vaticano 4.jpg|The narthex or entrance hall has three doors

Image:Vatican04.jpg|This is the view seen upon the first step beyond the entrance hall

Image:stpetes.JPG|Giovanni Paolo Pannini's painting of the nave of the Basilica of Saint Peter

Image:Bernini'sCanopyinStPeters.jpg|Bernini's canopy

Image:Rome_045.jpg|The confessio.

Image:Face_of_Death.jpg|The tomb of Pope Alexander VII, by Gianlorenzo Bernini

Image:Michelangelo's Pieta 5450 cropncleaned.jpg|The ''Pietà'' sculpted by Michelangelo Buonarroti

Image:Vatican_dome.jpg|A dome overhead when standing in front of the Pietà

Image:st peter_large.jpg|Interior view of the sanctuary looking from the dome towards the apse

Image:Viewfromdome1.jpg|The view from the top of the dome

Image:|Tomb of Pope Gregory XIII

Image:StPeterDomeSmall.jpg|View of the Dome from the Drum

Image:St_peters_hh.JPG|Saint Peter's Basilica, March 2007

Image:St_peters2_hh.JPG|Statue of Saint Peter, March 2007

Image:st_peters_dome.JPG|View of the Dome, May 2003

Image:St_peter_basilica.JPG|Inside, May 2003

</gallery></center>

==Archpriests of Saint Peter’s Basilica since 1820==

*[[Pietro Cardinal Galleffi]] ([[6 May]] [[1820]] – [[18 June]] [[1837]])

*[[Giacomo Cardinal Giustiniani]] ([[1 July]] [[1837]] – [[24 February]] [[1843]])

*[[Mario Cardinal Mattei]] ([[11 March]] [[1843]] – [[7 October]] [[1870]])

*[[Niccola Cardinal Clarelli Parracciani]] ([[8 October]][[1870]] – [[7 July]] [[1872]])

*[[Edoardo Cardinal Borromeo]] ([[10 July]] [[1872]] – [[30 November]] [[1881]])

*[[Edward Cardinal Howard]] ([[12 December]] [[1881]] – [[16 September]] [[1892]])

*[[Francesco Cardinal Ricci Paracciani]] ([[6 October]] [[1892]] – [[9 March]] [[1894]])

*[[Mariano Cardinal Rampolla del Tindaro]] ([[21 March]] [[1894]] – [[16 December]] [[1913]])

*[[Rafael Merry del Val|Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta]] ([[12 January]] [[1914]] – [[26 February]] [[1930]])

*[[Federico Tedeschini|Federico Cardinal Tedeschini]] ([[14 March]] [[1939]] – [[2 November]] [[1959]])

*[[Paolo Cardinal Marella]] ([[14 August]] [[1961]] – [[8 February]] [[1983]])

*[[Aurelio Cardinal Sabattani]] ([[8 February]] [[1983]] – [[1 July]] [[1991]])

*[[Virgilio Cardinal Noè]] ([[1 July]] [[1991]] – [[24 April]] [[2002]])

*[[Francesco Cardinal Marchisano]] ([[24 April]] [[2002]] – [[10 October]] [[2006]])

*[[Archbishop]] [[Angelo Comastri]] ([[10 October]] [[2006]]- )

==Notes==

{{reflist}}

==References==

*[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/11/1118_vaticanbasilica.html Inside the Vatican], a National Geographic Television Special

*Bannister, Turpin. “The Constantian Basilica of Saint Peter at Rome.” ''The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians'' (March 1968) 3-32.

*Boorsch, Suzanne. “The Building of the Vatican: The Papacy and Architecture.” ''The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin'' (Winter 1982) 1-2;4-64.

*Finch, Margaret. ''The Cantharus and Pigna at Old Saint Peter’s''. Gesta (1991).

*Frommel, Christoph. “Papal Policy: The Planning of Rome during the Renaissance.” ''Journal of Interdisciplinary History''. (Summer 1986) 39-65.

*[http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Docs/JLM/SaintPeters-1.htm Lees-Milne, James. ''St. Peter's'' Little Brown and Co. (1967)]

*McClendon, Charles. ''The History of the Site of St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome.'' Perspecta. (1989) 32-65.

*Kleiner, Fred and Christin Mamiya. ''Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective''. v2. 12th edition. (Thomas Wadsworth, 2006), 499-500, 571-575.

*[http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/286 UNESCO website on the Holy See].

==External links==

{{commons|Basilica di San Pietro|Basilica di San Pietro}}

*[http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org stpetersbasilica.org] Largest online site for the Basilica

*[http://www.virtualsweden.se/projects/peters/ Fullscreen Virtual Tour by Virtualsweden]

*[http://maps.google.com/maps?q=vatican&ll=41.901806,12.455138&spn=0.004081,0.007298&t=h&hl=en Google Maps Satellite image of the Basilica]

*[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/_Texts/Lanciani/LANPAC/3*.html#sec16 Circus of Nero and the old and new Basilicas superimposed, showing the tomb of Peter]

*[http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/st-peters-basilica-pictures/index.htm St. Peter's Basilica Photo Gallery] 249 photos

*[http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/st_peter_basilica.htm St Peter's Basilica, Rome] pictures and virtual reality movies

*[http://www.activitaly.it/inglese/monument/basilica_St_Peter_rome.htm Basilica of St Peter, Rome by Activitaly]

*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13369b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia] Catholic Encyclopedia article

* [http://www.arounder.eu/spa/spa.html Vatican City, Piazza San Pietro] VR panorama with map and compass effect by Tolomeus

* [http://pws.prserv.net/usinet.danance/chorg/vatorg.html The pipe organs of St Peter's Basilica]

* [http://www.arounder.eu/sanpietro.mov Vatican City, Piazza San Pietro] QTVR panorama hi-res (15 Mb) by Tolomeus

{{Papal symbols and ceremonial}}

{{Rome landmarks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Peter's Basilica}}

[[Category:1626 architecture]]

[[Category:Vatican City]]

[[Category:Patriarchal basilicas|Peter in Vatican]]

[[Category:Baroque architecture]]

[[Category:Domes]]

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[[fr:Basilique Saint-Pierre]]

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[[nl:Sint-Pietersbasiliek]]

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[[nrm:Basouque Saint-Pierre]]

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[[pt:Basílica de São Pedro]]

[[ro:Bazilica Sfântul Petru din Roma]]

[[ru:Собор Святого Петра]]

[[sk:Bazilika svätého Petra]]

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[[tl:Basilika ni San Pedro]]

[[vi:Nhà thờ Thánh Phêrô]]

[[zh:聖伯多祿大殿]]