Overview of St. Peter's Square

Piazza San Pietro, a square that embodies the essence of each era, can accommodate 500,000 people. Piazza San Pietro, located in the easternmost part of the Vatican, is famous for its St Peter's Cathedral in front of the square, and is the place where the Holy See holds large-scale religious activities. The construction of the square took eleven years (1656~ 1667), and the world famous architect bernini personally supervised the construction of the square. There are four ***284 Dorian columns around the square with 140 saints on them. In the middle is a huge pillar (25.5 meters high and weighing 320 tons) shipped from Egypt in 40 AD. It is said that St. Peter, a Christian saint, was hung on the inverted cross here. The fountains on the left and right sides, the one on the right was built by Ma Delnaud in the 7th century A.D./KLOC-0, and the one on the left is a replica designed and later built by bernini. Standing on the white marble between the column and the fountain, looking at the column in the promenade, it is not surprising that four columns look like only one. There is a Pope's study in the building facing St Peter's Church on the right. 1 month 1 day, Easter and Christmas, 200,000 people often gather in the square. Every Sunday, thousands of people here listen to the morning prayers broadcast by the Pope on the balcony and accept the Pope's blessing. Every year, believers and tourists from all over the world come here in an endless stream.

geographical position

Located in front of St. Peter's Cathedral.

scenic spot

The square is slightly oval and the ground is paved with black pebbles. The two sides are surrounded by two groups of semi-circular marble colonnades, forming three magnificent corridors. These two groups of colonnades are decorative buildings of the Vatican. They are composed of four rows of 284 columns and 88 square columns, forming three corridors. These stone pillars are arranged on both sides of the square like a team of four. Column height18m, and it takes three or four people to fold. There is a marble statue at the top of each pillar facing the square. They are all saints in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, with different expressions and lifelike. In the center of the square stands an obelisk; The bronze lion is inlaid with an eagle, spreading its wings to fly. This stone tablet was originally brought from Egypt by the Roman emperor caligula to decorate the circular square next to the palace. 1586, Pope Sistine V ordered the stone tablet to be moved to St. Peter's Square. It is said that more than 900 workers, 150 horses and 47 lifting equipment were mobilized, and it took nearly five months to complete the relocation project.

There are two exquisite fountains on both sides of the square, which are also famous works according to legend. The spring water is sprayed upward from the middle and divided into two layers. The upper layer is mushroom-shaped, and the water column falls, forming a water curtain from around; The lower layer is bowl-shaped, receiving the spring water as a trickle and overflowing, making a gurgling sound.

tourist handbook

Business?Hours?

7 o'clock in summer-19 o'clock

7 o'clock in winter-18 o'clock

entrance ticket

be free of charge