St. Peter's Basilica Tickets

*You don't actually need a ticket to enter St. Peter's Basilica. However, queues can be very long, especially in peak season. If you want to avoid most of the queue, you can purchase tickets which entitle the holders to skip-the-queue and go to the special queue for ticket holders.

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About St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica, the 'Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano' is in the heart of Vatican City. Its actually the second basilica to stand on the site. The first which can be traced back to the 4th century, was commissioned by the then Emperor Constantine, was built on the burial site of St. Peter, who was one of Jesus's 12 apostles.

As the first basilica started to age, the current basilica was commissioned to replace it by Pope Julius II in 1506, and it was completed in 1615 under the direction of Paul V. Sometimes referred to as 'New St. Peter's Basilica', it was given 'UNESCO World Heritage Site' status in 1984. Although still a place of worship, it's also a symbol of the grandeur of Catholicism and attracts millions of pilgrims to Vatican City each year.

The property was designed by several of the greatest minds of the Renaissance period including Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo, amongst others. Carlo Maderno was responsible for the façade, including the famous Corinthian columns that have stood proudly since the 17th century.

Inside

Inside the basilica you can see the nave which is surrounded by the vast columns and the 'baldacchio' which is a huge canopy that marks the final resting place of St. Peter himself, beneath the basilica.

You can also enjoy art inside the basilica with works on show from the likes of Canova, Michelangelo and Bernini. Michelangelo's 'Pieta' is also inside. The famous sculpture of the Virgin Mary cradling the body of Jesus, which is one of the most prized treasures of the basilica.

You can also see the 'Navicella', which is a mosaic attributed to Giotto, which covers the central nave floor. The 'Navicella' shows a ship, which represents the church, as it sails through stormy seas around the world.

The Basilica Dome

Michelangelo designed the famous Dome, which is one of the basilica's most recognisable features. However, it wasn't completed until after his death by Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana. The Dome stands at 136 meters (448 feet) in height and posed engineering challenges at the time. Michelangelo's ingenious solution was to actually construct two domes instead of one, so the Dome is actually a double dome, an inner and an outer dome, which made it more stable.

There are 550 steps that take you to the top and the views of Rome waiting for you are incredible. If you climb the Dome you can see the intricate mosaics that tell stories about the history of the church and life. Once you reach the top, it offers views of the city including St' Peter's Square and Vatican Gardens. See if you can also spot the Colosseum, the Pantheon and Castel Sant'Angelo as well as other famous landmarks.

Vatican Grottos

Beneath the dome in the grottos are the tombs of over 90 popes, including John Paul II.

Useful Information About St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

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How To Get There

‍St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza San Pietro, 00120, Citta del Vaticano, Vatican City

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Opening Hours

Saturday: 07:00 - 19:00
Sunday: 07:00 - 19:00
Monday: 07:00 - 19:00
Tuesday: 07:00 - 19:00
Wednesday: 07:00 - 19:00
Thursday: 07:00 - 19:00
Friday: 07:00 - 19:00