St. Peter’s Basilica

Saint Peter's Basilica, also known as the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican or simply Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Renaissance-style Basilica situated in Vatican City, the papal enclave inside the city of Rome, Italy. Originally intended to replace the ancient Old St. Peter's Basilica, which was constructed in the fourth century by Roman emperor Constantine the Great, it was first envisioned by Pope Nicholas V and then Pope Julius II. The most well-known example of Renaissance architecture, and according to interior measurements, the biggest church in the world, St. Peter's was primarily created by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. St. Peter's is recognized as one of the most sacred Catholic sites even though it is neither the mother church of the Catholic Church nor the cathedral of the Rome Diocese.

St. Peter's is well-known for its liturgical activities and as a destination for pilgrims. Every year, the pope presides over a number of liturgies in the basilica or the nearby St. Peter's Square, which are attended by anywhere between 15,000 and 80,000 people. The Early Christian Church, the Papacy, the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Counter-Reformation, and a number of artists, most notably Michelangelo, are just a few of the historical associations that St. Peter's possesses.

It is recognized as the greatest edifice of its day in terms of architecture. St. Peter's is one of the seven pilgrim churches of Rome and one of the four churches in the world with the title of Major papal basilica, all of which are located in Rome. Contrary to what many people believe, it is not a cathedral as the pope's cathedra as the bishop of Rome is located at Saint John Lateran.

Location: Vatican City, Rome