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Located in the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica is the most ornate church in the world. The details, sculptures, architecture, and so on are just from another planet. Imagine the finest artists, painters, stonemasons, etc., in the world all coming together to build a single place.
The craftsmanship is truly remarkable, beautiful, and simply put, breathtaking. There are just so many things to gaze upon that require skill to craft and hours to perfect.
If you’re not a huge fan of religious artwork (paintings, sculptures, and such), like that found in the Uffizi Gallery, then perhaps you’re sure to enjoy the beauty found in St. Peter’s Basilica. Even if you’re not a religious person in general, chances are you’ll still find this church to be visually stunning.
Beyond the history of which there is an endless amount of detail around, one of the more interesting bits of knowledge we found out was that the church is home to over a hundred tombs. Most are beneath the Basilica, and if you look closely at the floor, you’ll find grates to the crypt below. These tombs contain the remains of Roman Emperor Otto II, 91 popes, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, and numerous influential others. While the public display of St. Peter’s Basilica is truly stunning, one must wonderful all of the history hidden away from plain sight.
Even things such as the front door, which was ornately decorated, housed some mysterious details behind it. We learned something along the lines of it only being opened once in so many years for only the rarest of occasions. With so many unique details, from Bramante’s dome to the narthex, portals, Maderno’s nave, and beyond, you could literally spend months trying to learn the history and significance of everything.
Beyond the above, another thing I wanted to point out was the sheer size of the structure. Think you’ve seen huge churches? Think again! St. Peter’s Basilica is massive, as in imagine hundreds of churches combined into one gigantic behemoth. While there are many churches in Italy worth taking a peek at, St. Peter’s Basilica is truly one of a kind and worth taking the time to tour.
