St Peter’s Basilica

This large Baroque bronze canopy rises imperiously above the high altar beneath Michelangelo’s dome. It was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII and finished in 1634 to radiantly mark the tomb of St Peter below.

Michelangelo’s Pieta (first chapel to the right) was completed when he around 24 years old, and was so beautiful and mature that many people believed he couldn’t have done it – which is why it’s the only sculpture he ever signed.

The tiny Clementine Chapel, located in the necropolis underneath the basilica’s grottoes, is believed to be the site where St Peter was crucified in the time of Emperor Nero. His remains are held in a marble chest encased into an opulent, gilded altar.

Tradition has it that St Peter was crucified upside down at his own request, because he considered himself unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus.

You can now take a fascinating tour of the underground necropolis, which includes the Clementine Chapel, to see St Peter’s bones. Book well ahead (as places are strictly limited to 250/day) with Ufficio Scavi.

St Peter’s Treasury has a number of rare gems, including the Colonna Santa and 6th-century Vatican Cross; the Grottoes, just below the basilica, contain the tombs of popes past along with works of art.

In 1546, age 71, Michelangelo was asked by Pope Paul III to take over the construction of St Peter’s Basilica – at project that had been beset by technical and design challenges, not least the construction of a dome. Painter and sculpture turned architect designed Michelangelo stepped in, and although it was unfinished when he died, he is recognised as the primary architect and installed the foundations for what is still the biggest dome in the world.

For around €10 you can climb the 320 steps to the roof of St Peter’s, and even to the very top of the Cupola (dome) for those postcard-perfect views of St Peter’s Square and Rome’s skyline. If you don’t want to climb steps, there is an elevator. You can’t buy tickets online, and there are always hefty queues – which you can only skip if on a guided tour with Vox Mundi. From St Peter’s Square, follow the pillars anticlockwise until you see the signs for the Cupola.

One level below the Basilica are grottoes housing the tombs of several popes and a few royals. You can reach them by stairs below the St Andrew statue near the papal altar. Another level down, below the grottoes, is an ancient Necropolis, a former Roman cemetery with tombs and mausolea dating from the 1st to 4th centuries AD. It also includes the tomb of St Peter, and (allegedly) his bones.