A basilica as museum
St Peter's Basilica is not only the spiritual centre of Catholicism — it is one of the most extraordinary repositories of art in the world. Over nearly five centuries of construction and decoration, Michelangelo, Bernini, Raphael (in design), Perugino, Bramante and Maderno all worked here. Every chapel conceals a masterpiece; every altar is a work in itself.
One essential note: the altarpieces visible in the basilica's chapels are all mosaics, not paintings. The original canvases — by Caravaggio, Guido Reni, Valentin de Boulogne — are preserved in the Vatican Pinacoteca or elsewhere. Mosaics replaced them in the eighteenth century because oil paintings deteriorated in the damp conditions.
Michelangelo's Pietà (1498–1499)
In the first chapel on the right as you enter — the Chapel of the Pietà — stands the world's most famous marble sculpture. Michelangelo was only 23 years old when he completed it. The patron was the French cardinal Jean de Bilhères de Lagraulas.
The composition is revolutionary: the Madonna appears young, almost the same age as her Son resting in her lap. Michelangelo explained the choice himself: "Chaste women keep their freshness much longer than those who are not chaste." On the sash crossing the Virgin's robe runs the only signature Michelangelo ever left on any of his works: MICHAEL ANGELUS BONAROTUS FLORENT FACIEBAT.
Since 1972 — when a disturbed man struck it with a hammer — the Pietà has been protected behind a bulletproof glass panel.
Bernini's baldachin (1623–1634)
At the centre of the basilica, directly above Peter's tomb and beneath Michelangelo's dome, rises Gian Lorenzo Bernini's bronze baldachin: 28.5 m tall — the height of a seven-storey building. It was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII Barberini.
The four twisted (Solomonic) columns are inspired by a helical column preserved in the old basilica, believed to have come from Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. To cast the bronze required, Urban VIII had the bronze cladding of the Pantheon's portico removed. Hence the famous epigram: "Quod non fecerunt Barbari, fecerunt Barberini" — "What the Barbarians did not do, the Barberini did."
Bernini's Cathedra Petri (1647–1653)
At the far end of the apse — the most solemn position in the basilica — Bernini created the Chair of Saint Peter: a gilded bronze throne encasing a medieval wooden chair traditionally attributed to the Apostle (in reality Carolingian, ninth century). It is borne by four Doctors of the Church: Augustine, Ambrose, Athanasius and John Chrysostom.
Above, amidst an explosion of gilded angels, an alabaster window 7.5 m in diameter glows with the dove of the Holy Spirit. When late-afternoon light filters through the alabaster, the effect is among the most emotionally powerful in all of Baroque art.
The bronze statue of St Peter (13th century)
In the central nave stands the bronze statue of a seated St Peter, traditionally attributed to Arnolfo di Cambio (late 13th century), though the attribution is debated. The right foot is worn smooth by centuries of kisses and touches from pilgrims. On the feast of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June) the statue is dressed in full pontifical vestments.
Bernini's monument to Alexander VII (1671–1678)
In the left arm of the transept stands the funerary monument to Alexander VII, the last great tomb monument by Bernini, executed when he was in his seventies. Most striking is the skeletal figure of Death emerging from beneath a polychrome marble drapery, holding an hourglass.
Giotto's Navicella (restored, in the vestibule)
In the vestibule (before entering the basilica proper) hangs a copy and reworking of the celebrated mosaic by Giotto (c. 1305), which depicted the boat of the Apostles on the Sea of Galilee. The original was in the atrium of the Constantinian basilica; it was dismantled and reintegrated several times. What you see today (1628) retains little of the original — but it is the only surviving echo of Giotto's contribution to St Peter's.
The main chapels
| Chapel | Principal work |
|---|---|
| Chapel of the Pietà | Michelangelo's Pietà (1498–99) |
| Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament | Bernini's tabernacle and Poussin |
| Gregorian Chapel | Madonna del Soccorso (9th century) |
| Clementine Chapel | Tomb of Gregory the Great |
| Chapel of the Choir | Polychrome marble inlays |
Visit with a private driver
Reach St Peter's Basilica with a private driver. From your hotel, station or airport — direct, stress-free. Service from €49. → Book at myromedriver.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the altarpieces original paintings? No. All the great altarpieces in the basilica are mosaics produced in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries after paintings. The originals are in the Vatican Pinacoteca or other museums.
Where exactly is the Pietà? In the first chapel on the right immediately after entering through the main door, protected behind bulletproof glass at a distance of about 3 metres.
May I photograph the Pietà? Yes, photography is permitted in the basilica without flash. The glass makes shots difficult; the best light is early morning.
Article no. 126 — TIER S — MON-07 San Pietro Type: HISTORICAL Words: ~1,000