St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City me ek barraa church hae.

Treasures

St. Peter's Basilica has many treasures. These include Christian relics, the tombs of popes and many other important people, famous artworks which are mostly sculpture and other interesting things.

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  The Egyptian obelisk stands in the centre of the piazza.

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  The fountains of Maderna and Bernini are lit up at night.

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  Outside the basilica stand two statues. This is St. Paul.

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  There are many statues on the colonnade and roof.

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  The Holy Door is opened only for great celebrations.

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  No-one knows how old the statue of St. Peter is. Its feet are worn down from people kissing them.

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  The Pietà by Michelangelo is the most famous artwork in St. Peter's. It shows the Virgin Mary holding the body of her son, Jesus.

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  The body of The Blessed Pope John XXIII can be seen inside his tomb.

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  There are many sculptured decorations like this angel.

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  The window of the Holy Spirit designed by Bernini

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  Many parts of the basilica are decorated with mosaics. This is St. John the Gospel Writer.

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  The mosaic decoration of this small dome shows the Blessed Virgin Mary in Heaven.

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  The Dove of Peace showing the different coloured marbles used to decorate the piers.

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  The tomb of Queen Christina of Sweden, who gave up her throne and became a nun.

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  The tomb of Pope Innocent XII has the figures of Caring and Justice.

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  This carved altarpiece shows Attila the Hun being driven out of Rome.

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  Four large statues are in the piers near the High Altar. Saint Helena holds the True Cross which she found in Jerusalem.

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  Saint Longinus carries the spear that pierced the side of Jesus.

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  Saint Andrew carries the cross on which he was crucified. His bones are at St. Peter's

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  Saint Veronica carries the veil that she used to wipe the face of Jesus, when he was carrying his cross.

References

• Hintzen-Bohlen, Brigitte and Sorges, Jurgen. Rome and the Vatican City, Konemann, ISBN 3-8290-3109-2
• Fletcher, Banister. A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method, first published 1896, current edition 2001, Elsevier Science & Technology ISBN 0-7506-2267-9
• Hartt, Frederick. A History of Italian Renaissance Art. Thames and Hudson (1970) ISBN 0-500-23136-2
• Lees-Milne, James. Saint Peter's, Hamish Hamilton (1967). ISBN
• Gardner, Helen. Art through the Ages, 5th edition, Harcourt, Brace and World, inc., ISBN 07679933
• Goldscheider, Ludwig. Michelangelo, 1964, Phaidon, ISBN 100714832960
• Pevsner, Nikolaus An Outline of European Architecture, Pelican, 1964, ISBN 978-0-14-020109-3
• Pinto, Pio V. The Pilgrim's Guide to Rome, Harper and Row, (1974), ISBN 0600133880

Duusra websites

St. Peter's beyond the River Tiber at dusk

Wikimedia Commons me iske baare me chhaapa hae:

Basilica di San Pietro

• stpetersbasilica.org Largest online site for the Basilica
• Fullscreen Virtual Tour by Virtualsweden
• Google Maps Satellite image of the Basilica
• St Peter’s Basilica and St Peter’s Tomb
• Circus of Nero and the old and new Basilicas superimposed, showing the tomb of Peter
• St. Peter's Basilica Photo Gallery 249 photos
• St Peter's Basilica, Rome pictures and virtual reality movies
• Basilica of St Peter, Rome by Activitaly
• Catholic Encyclopedia Catholic Encyclopedia article
• Vatican City, Piazza San Pietro VR panorama with map and compass effect by Tolomeus
• The pipe organs of St Peter's Basilica
• Vatican City, Piazza San Pietro QTVR panorama hi-res (15 Mb) by Tolomeus
• St. Peter's Basilica Floor Plan
• The Bells of St. Peter's Basilica at Vatican