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The St. Peter's Basilica is located within the Vatican city in Rome, Italy. This drawing shows the architecture of the front of the church. It was built in 1626 in a Renaissance and Baroque style. The church was named after one of Jesus's twelve disciples, Simon known as Peter.

St. Peter's Basilica

The St. Peter's Basilica is located within the Vatican city in Rome, Italy. This drawing shows the architecture…

(1444-1514) Italian architect who introduced the Early Renaissance style to Milan and the High Renaissance style to Rome with his most famous work, St. Peter's Basilica.

Donato Bramante

(1444-1514) Italian architect who introduced the Early Renaissance style to Milan and the High Renaissance…

Interior of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. At the far end of the nave can be seen Bernini's baldacchino.

Interior of St. Peter's Basilica

Interior of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. At the far end of the nave can be seen Bernini's baldacchino.

"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jonah: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 16:16-17 ASV <p>Illustration of Peter kneeling before Jesus. Jesus is telling Peter that he will build his church upon Peter and Peter will have the keys to heaven. Jesus is handing Peter a key with a cross on it. Six other disciples are standing to the side, watching. The dome of St. Peter's Basilica glows in the distant background. This scene is commonly referred to as the Confession of Peter.

Peter Publicly Professes that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God

"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered…

"Michel-Angelo assumed such considerable and prominent position by his genius and authority, that his example necessarily entailed imitation and produced effects on subsequent times. When his deviations were moderate, they were considered by his imitators merely as marks of the originality of his wonderful talent, and by this means proved stepping-stones to the degeneration which marked the ensuing period of the Roccoco style. Amongst his architectural works, the design of the Capitol at Rome, with its wings, may be considered as the most pleasing, whilst as a testimony to his lofty genius the mighty and glorious dome of St. Peter's at Rome, which has no rival in the world, must be adducted as a striking instance. This dome was only completed after Michel-Angelo's death. Both as regards its colossal dimensions, as well as its beautiful proportions and lines, it produces, both internally and externally, a most wonderful impression. It should be remarkable that Michel-Angelo, like Bramante before him, selected the form of the Greek cross for his church, and planned the dome accordingly, and that the nave, which is by Carlo Maderno, is, both externally and internally, prejudicial to the effect of the dome."The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri), officially known in Italian as the Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. Peter's Basilica, is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites and has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom". In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession.

Section of the Dome of St. Peter's, Rome

"Michel-Angelo assumed such considerable and prominent position by his genius and authority, that his…

"Michel-Angelo assumed such considerable and prominent position by his genius and authority, that his example necessarily entailed imitation and produced effects on subsequent times. When his deviations were moderate, they were considered by his imitators merely as marks of the originality of his wonderful talent, and by this means proved stepping-stones to the degeneration which marked the ensuing period of the Roccoco style. Amongst his architectural works, the design of the Capitol at Rome, with its wings, may be considered as the most pleasing, whilst as a testimony to his lofty genius the mighty and glorious dome of St. Peter's at Rome, which has no rival in the world, must be adducted as a striking instance. This dome was only completed after Michel-Angelo's death. Both as regards its colossal dimensions, as well as its beautiful proportions and lines, it produces, both internally and externally, a most wonderful impression. It should be remarkable that Michel-Angelo, like Bramante before him, selected the form of the Greek cross for his church, and planned the dome accordingly, and that the nave, which is by Carlo Maderno, is, both externally and internally, prejudicial to the effect of the dome." The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri), officially known in Italian as the Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. Peter's Basilica, is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites and has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom". In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession.

Ground-plan of St. Peter's, Rome

"Michel-Angelo assumed such considerable and prominent position by his genius and authority, that his…

"The decoration of the interiors of the buildings of the Renaissance is also copied from ancient Roman architecture. The rooms are either vaulted or have flat ceilings, but in both cases are adorned with paintings after the manner of those discovered in the Baths of Titus, or by panel-work, that is, sunken coffers with a regularly distributed enrichment [shown here]. These panels are themselves often adorned with historical or allegorical paintings, or with arabesques. Ornamented panels were employed in large palaces for horizontal ceilings, as also in churches, though in the latter case they were more often applied to cupola vaulting, as notable in St. Peter's."

Interior View of St. Peter's at Rome

"The decoration of the interiors of the buildings of the Renaissance is also copied from ancient Roman…

"Michel-Angelo assumed such considerable and prominent position by his genius and authority, that his example necessarily entailed imitation and produced effects on subsequent times. When his deviations were moderate, they were considered by his imitators merely as marks of the originality of his wonderful talent, and by this means proved stepping-stones to the degeneration which marked the ensuing period of the Roccoco style. Amongst his architectural works, the design of the Capitol at Rome, with its wings, may be considered as the most pleasing, whilst as a testimony to his lofty genius the mighty and glorious dome of St. Peter's at Rome, which has no rival in the world, must be adducted as a striking instance. This dome was only completed after Michel-Angelo's death. Both as regards its colossal dimensions, as well as its beautiful proportions and lines, it produces, both internally and externally, a most wonderful impression. It should be remarkable that Michel-Angelo, like Bramante before him, selected the form of the Greek cross for his church, and planned the dome accordingly, and that the nave, which is by Carlo Maderno, is, both externally and internally, prejudicial to the effect of the dome."The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri), officially known in Italian as the Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano and commonly known as St. Peter's Basilica, is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people. It is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites and has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom". In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession.

Back View of St. Peter's, Rome

"Michel-Angelo assumed such considerable and prominent position by his genius and authority, that his…

The ancient basilica of St. Peter in Rome.

St. Peter's Basilica

The ancient basilica of St. Peter in Rome.

A late Renaissance church located in the Vatican in Rome, Italy. By Catholic Tradition, the Basilica is the burial site of its namesake St. Peter, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ and, also according to tradition, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome.

St. Peter's Basilica

A late Renaissance church located in the Vatican in Rome, Italy. By Catholic Tradition, the Basilica…

This is a drawing of the interior of the St. Peter's Basilica located in the Vatican city of Rome, Italy. The interior space of the church was designed by Giovanni Paolo Panini an Italian painter and architect. The interior space is the largest interior of any Christian church in the world.

Interior of St. Peter's Basilica

This is a drawing of the interior of the St. Peter's Basilica located in the Vatican city of Rome, Italy.…

Façade of St. Peter's Basilica, located in Rome. By Catholic Tradition, the Basilica is the burial site of its namesake St. Peter, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ and, also according to tradition, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome.

Façade of St. Peter's Basilica

Façade of St. Peter's Basilica, located in Rome. By Catholic Tradition, the Basilica is the burial…