Saint Peter's Square and the Vatican

Doug and Joyce had missed the Sistine Chapel on their last visit, so I really felt badly that they wouldn't get to see it again on this visit because it was closed the day we were there due to a holiday.  I was so happy that we had seen it on our visit before, or I would have really been disappointed, too.  It is certainly something not to be missed in one's lifetime!  We did get to go to St. Peter's Square and the Basilica, however, and the whole experience there is always amazing!

 

 This is St. Peter's Square and Basilica.  It was here that Peter was martyred and the Apostles were buried.  The building of this church took more than a hundred and fifty years.  Many different artisans worked on it including Bernini and, also, Michelangelo who decided on a church in the shape of a Greek cross and designed the dome, but he only saw it completed as far as the drum. 

 This grandiose dome is visible from every part of the city.  You could actually climb five hundred and thirty seven steps to get up there to see a marvelous view of the city, but there is, also, an elevator.  Sometime I would love to go up there--perhaps it would be best to use the elevator if they would let you!

A solid granite obelisk stands 90 feet high in the square.  It was originally constructed in Egypt, then moved to Rome after the Pharaohs fell to the Romans.

We were told that the last window on the right is the Pope's bedroom, with his study right next to that.  On Sunday mornings, he gives a brief message, a prayer, and a blessing on the crowd below.  In this picture, you can see the large 10-foot statues which Bernini designed to depict his 140 favorite saints.

 Here are Doug and Joyce ready to go inside the Basilica, the largest church in the world.

These are the main doors into the Basilica that have been around since the fourth century.  They are only used on special occasions.

An interesting part of the door is right at the top where you can see Peter being hung upside down.  He didn't feel worthy to be hung the same way as the Savior, so he requested to die that way.

No pictures could do justice for how beautiful the inside of the Basilica is.  We are standing in the central part of the church with the altar behind us.  

 

St. Peter's Chair

According to tradition, this is St. Peter's chair which was then embellished by Bernini who, also, designed the huge canopy in front of the chair.  Twenty-three feet below the marble floor rest the bones of St. Peter.

The Canopy designed by Bernini

Many chapels are located throughout the huge Basilica.  Many people stop to pray or meditate in these chapels.

A number of popes are entombed in the Basilica, on the main floor.  Ninety-one are in tombs below the Basilica.  Over 100 tombs in all.  The above Pope served from 1676-1689.  He has been covered with a silver coating.  Last time we were here, the guide told us that most of the Popes design their own tomb before they die.  I'm not sure if this is the one or not, but one Pope's tomb wasn't long enough when they put him in it, so they had to remove part of his legs in order to put him in.  Pretty interesting, huh!

 This is the famous Pieta sculpted by Michelangelo which depicts the Mother Mary cradling her son after his crucifixion.  After a crazed man tried to destroy it in 1972, it now lies protected under a plexiglass.

The royal guards who guard the entire Vatican City, have been from the country of Switzerland since the 1500s.  The requirements are very strict:  They must be Catholic, single males with Swiss citizenship, have completed basic training with the Swiss military, obtain certificates of good conduct, have a professional degree or high school diploma, be between the ages of 19 and 30 years of age, and be at least 5 feet 8 1/2 inches tall. 

 While we were there, we got to see the Changing of the Guard.  It was like what they do in England at the Palace, and very impressive.  These uniforms are said to have been designed by Michelangelo himself.

Over 30,000 people have been in the square before.  Chairs are sat up to accommodate them for the Pope's blessing.  Notice the pointed roof that you can just see between the two buildings.  That is the Sistine Chapel.  Like I said, we weren't able to go this trip, but it is a must-see that we were able to visit on our last trip there that I would love to see again.

We took many more pictures of  the Basilica which my sister has posted on her blog:  

http://sixgirlsoneboy.blogspot.com/2012/03/vatican-city-st-peters-square-and.html