THE BIGGEST CHURCH ACROSS THE WORLD

St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

Saint Peter's Basilica is the world's largest church and known as the center of Christianity.
St.Peter's Basilica is located at the hill of the Vatican city across the river Tiber, west of Rome's center.

The location is highly symbolic and the reason why this church was built over here was the site where Saint Peter, the chief apostle, died a martyr and where he was buried in 64 AD. St. Peter is considered the first pope, so it made perfect sense for the papacy to build the principal shrine of the Catholic church here.
Entrance to the basilica is free but make sure you are dressed properly since a very strict dress code is enforced.

Brief History

The First Basilica

In the early fourth century Emperor Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, decided to build a basilica on Vatican Hill at the site of the small shrine that marked the likely location of the tomb of St. Peter.

The basilica had an 85m (279 ft) long nave with four aisles and a spacious atrium with a central cantharus (fountain), enclosed by a colonnade. A bell tower stood at the front of the atrium. Visitors entered the atrium through a triple-arched portico.

The restoration and enlargement of the church occurred in the middle of the 15th century. This restoration was planned by Nicolas V, but in between, he died and further no work continued and then Julius II came a planned to build a completely new church. Donato Bramante was appointed as the chief architect. He planned the structure in the Greek cross plan.  In 1506 the construction started and was to become the largest in the world. After Bramante's death in 1514, he was succeeded by a number of different architects. And furthermore, there were new architects who changed the plan accordingly. Michelangelo Buonarroti became the chief architect in 1547 at the age of 72. He conceived the imposing dome and made the alterations in the plan. In 1564 Michelangelo died, at that time only the drum of the dome was built. Finally, the dome was completed in 1590 by Giacomo Della Porta. Paul V requested to extend the imposing edifice further into a true Latin cross plan by Carlo Maderno, who has also completed the facade of the building in 1614. The church was finally reconsecrated in 1626 by pope Urban VIII, exactly 1300 years after the consecration of the first church.

St. Peter's Basilica has been the center of Christianity, drawing pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.

St. Peter's Square

Visitors pass along the st. peters square while visiting st. peters basilica church. The square is bordered by massive colonnades that symbolize outstretched arms.

Bernini and his assistants sculpted the 140 statues of saints that grace the balustrades on the colonnades. The square is decorated with fountains and an Egyptian obelisk that was transported to Rome in 37 AD. 

About the building

The building itself is truly impressive. The largest church in the world, it has a 211.5-meter long nave (694 ft, including the narthex). The basilica's dome is one of the world's largest measuring 42 meters in diameter and reaching 132.5 meters high (more than 434ft)

Front Facade

The travertine front facade of the basilica was created by Carlo Maderno, who slightly altered Michelangelo's original design by widening the narthex to 114.7 meters. Maderno also placed the massive columns against the walls instead of in front of the building, as Michelangelo had intended. 

The 45.5 meters (149 ft) high facade is crowned with 5.7-meter tall statues of Christ, John the Baptist, and the apostles except for St. Peter. On either side are huge clocks supported by angels and decorated with ornaments and the papal crest. They were added in the early nineteenth century and are the work of Giuseppe Valadier. Below the clock on the left, you can see the church bells

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