Ciudad del Vaticano. Imágenes de la Basílica de San Pedro.

1. City State of Vatican
Saint Peter’s square, the Basilica with its cupola, and part of Vatican’s architectonic complex.

2. St Peter Square
The square, the Colonnade, the Obelisk, and the Basilica’s façade built on Bramante’s
project, had its corner stone laid in 1506.

3. St Peter Basilica
Construction on the present basilica, over the old Constantinian basilica, began on
April 18, 1506 and was completed in 1626.

4. ...between the rows of the Colonnade that surrounds the square…
St Peter Square

5. Fountain the south one by Maderno (1613) and the northern one by Bernini (1675).
This is the one by Maderno
St Peter Square

6. Pope’s security guard
The Swiss Guard stands at the Bronze Doors, an entrance to the Apostolic Palace at the end of the right
colonnade. The Guards may be approached to obtain tickets to the Wednesday Papal Audience.

7. Carlo Maderno’s Porch – narthex and portal
St Peter Basilica

8. Narthex ceiling
St Peter Basilica

9. Narthex ceiling - detail
St Peter Basilica

10. The bronze Holy Door was built by the sculptor Vico Consori in 1950
St Peter Basilica

11. Mosaic of St Peter - over Porta Santa
St Peter Basilica

12. Holy water stoup
St Peter Basilica

13. The dimensions of the Basilica, engraved in the floor, are impressive: 700 ft (211.50 m)
(including portico), 611 ft (186.30 m) (without portico)…
St Peter Basilica

14. …144 ft (44 m) high; the dome has 446 ft (136 m) in height.
St Peter Basilica

15. Detail of interior ceiling
St Peter Basilica

16. Top of pillar decoration
St Peter Basilica

17. High Altar – work of Bernini, built between 1656 and 1658
St Peter Basilica

18. Interior view – Bernini’s Baldachin is in foreground
St Peter Basilica

19. The baldaquin - a monumental canopy that shelters the papal altar and the holy relics of St. Peter.
St Peter Basilica

20. Made of dark bronze accented with gold vine leaves, it was created by Lorenzo Bernini from
1624 to 1633 under the direction of Barberini pope Urban VIII. It is 95.1 ft (29 m) high.
St Peter Basilica

21. The spiral columns derive their shapes from the columns in the original Basilica built by
Constantine, and legend had it that they came from Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.
St Peter Basilica

22. Baldachin in forefront, High Altar in background, and St. Hellene’s sculpture at right side.
St Peter Basilica

23. The sculpture representing St. Hellene – close-up.
St Peter Basilica

24. The Confessio, a 17th-century sunken chapel honoring the confession of St. Peter
that led to his martyrdom on Vatican Hill.
St Peter Basilica

25. The bronze statue of St. Peter is attributed to late 13th-century sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio.
St Peter Basilica

26. St Peter’s tomb is behind the Niche of the Pallium, the illuminated part seen in this photo.
St Peter Basilica

27. Broad view: confessional, baldachin and High Altar
St Peter Basilica

28. Mass office by John Paul II
St Peter Basilica

29. View into the right transept from the gallery of the central dome
St Peter Basilica

30. A dove representing the Holy Spirit inside a golden sunburst under the canopy of Bernini's,
and the interior of Michelangelo’s cupola.
St Peter Basilica

31. The dome of St. Peter's was designed by Michelangelo, who became chief architect in 1546.
St Peter Basilica

32. Michelangelo’s dome - interior
St Peter Basilica

33. Entrance to the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament
St Peter Basilica

34. Blessed Sacrament Chapel - This splendid and solemn chapel is an artistic gem, decorated by
Bernini. But what concerns devotes here is this’the best place to pray, and this chapel has been
described as "the very soul of the Basilica".very soul of the Basilica".
St Peter Basilica

35. Ceiling in the tribune at the west end
St Peter Basilica

36. top of arch
St Peter Basilica

37. Stuart Monument detail - Antonio Canova, 1817-1819
St Peter Basilica

38. Chapel of St. Basil the Great - The mosaic replaced the first painting of St Basil,
which was made by Girolamo Muziano
St Peter Basilica

39. The most famous and known Pietà of Michelangelo
St Peter Basilica

40. …heading to a Council or, who knows, a Conclave.
St Peter Basilica

41. The tomb of Pope Alexander VII, by Gianlorenzo Bernini – 1671-
1678. Below, there is a real door symbolizing the Gate of Death.
St Peter Basilica

42. Detail of lion on the Tomb of Pope Clement XIII by Antonio Canova
St Peter Basilica

43. Pope Innocentius statue
St Peter Basilica

44. Statue of Charlemagne -1725, Agostino Cornacchini
St Peter Basilica

45. Impressive from its solemnity look and silence, the Crypt at the Basilica’s underground,
is where is the majority of deceased Popes sarcophagus.
St Peter Basilica

46. Papal tomb in the crypt
St Peter Basilica

47. After being declared Blessed, the body of Pope John XXIII was brought up from the crypt and placed
under the St. Jerome’s Altar, which has become a popular devotion site ever since.
St Peter Basilica

48. The last chapel contains the baptismal font. The mosaic in the baptistry shows
the Baptism of Christ.
St Peter Basilica

49. John Paul II lies in State
St Peter Basilica

50. Polish mourners at the funeral of the Poland-born Pope John Paul II
St Peter Basilica

51. The Tomb of John Paul II has become the main reason many
people visit St Peter's.
St Peter Basilica

53. ...and it’s in this Holy place for Catholic religion that rests forever the
remains from St. Peter to John Paul II…
St Peter Basilica

54. Photo imagery – from Internet, with credits to authors, or from
Wikipedia’s site www.wikipedia.org
Music – Mozart - Requiem, k626 – Lacrimosa
Research, compilation and format : Delza Dias Ferreira
delzadfer@hotmail.com
Colaboration and English version : Flavio Musa de Freitas Guimarães
Brazil – São Paulo – May 2008

55. The end