St. Peter's Basilica
Visit the Catholic church's official seat at St. Peter's Basilica and discover its remarkable Renaissance architecture. Browse through our extensive collection of St. Peter's Basilica tickets and choose from skip-the-line tickets, guided tours, & combo tours with Vatican Museums and more.Bestseller
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Guided Tour
Top Experiences
Pro tips to help you make a pick
Guided tours: St Peter’s Basilica is packed with artworks by famous artists and tells the exceptional story of faith, religion, history, and art. A guided tour is the best way to enhance your experience and learn of the significance of what you see there.
Skip the line tickets: Though the entry to the Basilica is free, access to certain parts like the Cupola is ticketed and the ticket queues can be long. Bypass these lines with Skip-the-line tickets and gain priority access to the Dome, Vatican Grottoes, etc.
Audio guide: If you would like to explore at your own pace but still want a guided experience, consider renting a multilingual audio guide. It offers insights into the basilica’s highlights and history as you explore.
The Papal audience tour: To see the Pope, book a Papal Audience tour, which includes seating and a guide to explain the events. For a full experience, select the ticket with St. Peter's Basilica access.
Combo tickets: Make the most of your Vatican visit with a combo ticket covering the must-see "holy trinity" at a budget-friendly rate: St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel.
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About St Peter's Basilica
Distinguished as the largest church in the world, St Peter’s Basilica, with its impressive array of sculptures like Michelangelo’s Pieta, paintings, and carvings is bound to leave you speechless. Built over what is believed to be the tomb of St Peter, the Basilica in the Vatican City is a pilgrimage site and a cultural landmark that leaves thousands of visitors inspired every day. While general entry to the church is free, visits to certain parts are ticketed. Learn on the move with our guided tours, skip-the-line tickets, and tickets granting access to the Dome, Necropolis, and more.
St Peter’s Basilica, sits over what is presumed to be the tomb of St Peter, the Apostle of Jesus, and the first Pope executed by Emperor Nero. In fact right below the basilica, is the Vatican Necropolis, the remains of an ancient Roman burial ground with tombs dating back to the 1st and 4th centuries.
The Dome of the Basilica was designed by Michelangelo and was inspired by the Pantheon. The dome then went on to be the muse of many buildings including the Capitol in Washington and St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
There’s plenty to say about the dome but the sheer size of it is baffling. The height of the dome is 136.5 meters. Let us put that in perspective - it is so tall that you could fit the Statue of Liberty inside it!
The paintings in the Basilica are in fact not paintings at all. They are all glass or ceramic mosaics. Zoom in close on the paintings and you can make out the mosaic tiles that constitute the images.
The famed Pieta was carved out of a single piece of Carrara marble by a mere 24-year-old Michelangelo. The sculpture is the only artwork that bears his sign.
Why visit St Peter's Basilica?
Highlights
Plan your visit
St. Peter's Square Entrance
The main entrance to St Peter’s Basilica is accessed from St Peter’s Square. With a splendid view of the Basilica, this entrance is free but also packed with crowds. The security check waiting line can take a while.
Hidden Entrance
A lesser-known entrance to the Basilica can be found on the right side of the Sistine Chapel via a small door. This entrance is also free.
Cupola Entrance
The Cupola or the St Peter’s Dome entrance can be found on the right side of the Basilica portico. The entry point is marked by a ticket office and an elevator.
Vatican Necropolis entrance
The ancient burial site housed under the Basilica should be accessed through the Necropolis entrance. The entry is ticketed and has a limit of 250 people per day. Make your way into the Basilica and you will the Necropolis entrance and the Excavations Office on the left while facing the altar.
Sacristy & Treasury Museum Entrance
The Sacristy and the Treasury Museum are in a separate building attached to the Basilica. The ticketed entrance can be found below the Monument to Pius VIII on the left side while facing the altar.
- Closed on Wednesdays for the Papal audience held in the Square, but it reopens at around 12:30 pm.
Yes, there is a cloakroom in St Peter's Basilica.
Yes, audio guides are available at a small additional fee.
There are souvenir shops on the Basilica premises.
Yes, there are three main restrooms in the Basilica premises. One along the Charlemagne Wing on the left side, another beyond the colonnades on the upper right side, and the last one in the bag check area on the lower right side of the facade of the Basilica.
You can find the Information Office on the Charlemagne Wing, located on the left side.
Some restrooms are equipped with baby-changing facilities.
There is a small refreshment stand on the Basilica's roof.
There are various paid parking facilities near St Peter's Basilica: Parking San Pietro di Pecchia Maurizio (10-minute walk), Parcheggio Immobiliare Valli 94 (5-minute walk), Parking Risorgimento (9-minute walk), ParkinGarage 5 Parcheggio Custodito Clodio - Musei Vaticani - San Pietro - Tribunale (5-minute walk)
You can find plenty of ATMs near St Peter's Basilica.
There are wheelchair-accessible ramps and elevators to gain entrance to the Basilica. You can also reach the base of the Dome via this elevator. However, the Vatican Necropolis, located underneath the Basilica is not wheelchair accessible.
Elevator access is enabled at St Peter's Basilica.
With the exception of trained assistance animals for individuals with visual or hearing impairments, visitors are not allowed to enter the basilica with their pets, and other service animals.