St. Peter's Basilica Tickets

Built over 100 years, St. Peter’s Basilica is Italy’s largest and most opulent church and comes directly under the jurisdiction of the Holy See. Located within the Vatican City in the middle of Rome, the Basilica is steeped in history and heritage and is arguably the most important church to Catholics around the world. As a work of architecture, it is regarded as the greatest building of its age owing to its mesmerizing renaissance architecture.

St Peter’s Basilica in Rome is an Italian Renaissance Church and the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture in the world. It is also the largest church in the world and was designed by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Besides its obvious historical and artistic significance, it has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".

Designed by Michelangelo, the dome was completed by Giacomo Della Porta, Michelangelo’s pupil. The dome, with an inner diameter of 42.56 metres measures 136.57 metres from the base to the top of the cross. There is a viewing platform at the base of the lantern from where you can enjoy an unparalleled panorama over Rome, which can be reached by stairs or elevator. This dome was used as a model for other domes in the western world, like Saint Paul’s in London (1675), Les Invalides in Paris (1680-1691) and the Capitol building in Washington (1794-1817).

The basilica was completed around 349AD on the orders of Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Emperor of Rome, and was marked for renovation by Pope Nicholas V in the late fifteenth century. However, once he died, the restoration plans were halted, until almost a century later, Pope Julius II decided to build a completely new church and appointed architect Donato Bromante to structure the iconic high dome. The dome was further worked upon and modified heavily by architects and designers like Michelangelo Buonarroti, Giacomo della Porta and Carlo Maderno.

The grottos contain chapels dedicated to various saints and tombs of kings, queens and popes, dating from the 10th century, and are found sandwiched between the Renaissance Basilica and Constantine’s 4th century basilica. The holiest spot here is Peter’s tomb, containing the "memory", built in the 4th century on the spot were the Apostle’s tomb was venerated. The monuments to Paul VI (1978) and Pope John Paul II (2005) are also in the grottos. There is also a fresco by the 14th century Roman painter Pietro Cavallini called “Madonna della Bocciata”, because of Mary’s swollen face. According to an old legend, her face bled because a drunken soldier had thrown a bowl into the holy image after he lost a game of bowls.

The Vatican Necropolis, or scavi, is often confused for the grottoes, the latter of which resulted from the construction of St. Peter's Church and is located on the ground level of the old Constantinian basilica. It was originally a burial ground built on the southern slope of the Vatican Hill, adjacent to the Circus of Caligula. In accordance with the Roman law, it was forbidden to bury the dead within the city walls. For this reason, burial grounds sprang up along the roads outside of the city cemeteries. It is thought to be the site of Apostle Peter’s tomb.

Saint Peter's tomb is located under St. Peter's Basilica and includes several graves and structures built to enshrine the location of Saint Peter's grave. Quite a few Popes have been interred at St. Peter's since the Early Christian period as it is the burial site of St Peter and is hence one of the four highest-ranking churches or ‘Major Basilicas’ in the world. It is the only one to be located in Vatican City and is directly under the jurisdiction of the Holy See.

The Throne of St. Peter, a wooden throne that was supposedly used by Apostle Saint Peter, the leader of the Early Christians in Rome and first Pope, is on display at St Peter’s Basilica. The relic itself is described as an oaken chair damaged by cuts and worms, while the back and front are trimmed with carved ivory. The wooden throne was a gift from Holy Roman Emperor Charles the Bald to Pope John VIII in 875. The spiritual significance of the chair is a symbol of the special mission of Peter and his Successors to tend Christ’s flock, keeping it united in faith and in charity.

If you're looking to further explore top things to do in the cities of Rome and Vatican City, here's what you should not miss out on.

The reputation of the Vatican Museums in Rome precedes them. Arguably one of the most famous museums in the world, the Vatican Museums houses over 70,000 works of art, which includes paintings, sculptures, frescoes and more. Keep your eyes out for masterpieces by renowned artists like Caravaggio, Raphael, Michelangelo and more. Book Vatican Museums tickets individually or as part of combo tours.

The crown jewel in the Vatican Museums is the historic Sistine Chapel. Its cultural significance is such that its ceiling and interior frescoes have been studied and admired for generations now, the most noteworthy one being The Last Judgement by Michelangelo. Book Sistine Chapel tickets separately or as part of a combo tour.

Few structures have withstood the test of time like the magnificent Colosseum in Rome. Visited by millions of travelers each year, the Colosseum is seeped in historic stories of bloodshed, violence, and betrayal as gladiators, cheered on by frenzied crowds, battled each other till death. A must-visit, book Colosseum tickets separately or as part of a combo tour.

Another popular gem in Rome's tapestry is the Borghese Gallery. Home to hundreds of carefully curated artwork by masters of their craft such as Bernini, Caravaggio, Dosso Dossi and more, Galleria Borghese in Rome, it is frequented by millions each year. The cherry on top? The Borghese Gardens, a peaceful landscape adorned with immaculately maintained flora and fauna. Book Borghese Gallery tickets.

In order to deal with shortage of space and overflowing population, ancient Roman authorities came up with a unique solution to bury the dead: underground catacombs. On a Roman Catacombs tour, discover eerie yet elaborate arrangements and displays of the bones of millions of Romans. Watch out for unique artwork and frescoes of olden Christian art. Book Roman Catacombs tickets.