In the era of ancient Rome between the Tiber river and two hills - the Gianicolo and Vatican city was occupied by the circus of Nero. Here he was martyred and was buried by the Apostle Peter. Under Pope Anacleta on this place was built a small Basilica-Shrine.

In 324, the Emperor Constantine replaced the modest tomb in the Basilica style, characteristic of the early Christian churches of Rome. Completed in 349 year Constancies, son of Constantine, the Basilica became considerably enriched through generous gifts of the popes and wealthy donors. Here in this Basilica of Constantine, Charlemagne in the year 800 took the crown from the hands of Pope Leo III, and after him, here were crowned emperors Lothar, Louis II and Frederick III.

A thousand years after its founding the Basilica.Peter in ruins, and only under Pope Nicholas V, on the advice of Leon Battista Alberti, the restoration and expansion of the Basilica on the basis of the draft Bernardo Rossellino. In the midst of construction when construction began on the new Department, all work stopped in connection with death of Pope Nicholas V. And only in 1506 under Pope Julia II construction work was resumed. A large part of the former Basilica was destroyed Bramante (who received the title of master of the destroyer), who decided to build a building again in a modern classical style: that is, the building should have in plan a Greek cross, on the model of the Pantheon. For half a century in the construction of the Cathedral was attended by, one after another, the architects of fra Giocondo, Raphael, Giuliano da Sangallo the Younger, and finally Michelangelo who changed the project Bramante, increasing the size of the Cathedral and topped it with its huge dome.

After Michelangelo worked here, masters such as Vignola, Pirro Ligorio, Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana, who strictly followed the principles bequeathed by Michelangelo. Then, when Pope Paul V, it was decided to reschedule again the building of the Basilica, returned to the idea of a Latin cross. To this end, the architect Carlo Maderno added on each side of the building at three chapels and extended the nave to the size of a modern facade, which became the subject of the projects which won Maderno. The work was begun in 1607 and was completed in 1612. For the construction it took "a whole mountain of travertine from the quarries of Tivoli".

The façade of the Cathedral impresses with its powerful forms, the solemn rhythm of Corinthian columns and pilasters of the Central portal and the lateral arches. The top is decorated with nine balconies. The crowning element is a traditional attic with a balustrade, on which rise thirteen huge statues of the Apostles, Christ and John the Baptist.

And finally, above all this is dominated by the majestic dome with a powerful rib - creation of Michelangelo. On both sides of it are two smaller domes crowning Capella Gregoriana and Clementine, made by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola.

After the death of Carlo Maderno, followed in 1629, the work in the Cathedral was headed by the genius architect Lorenzo Bernini. He gave the Cathedral a clear Baroque color. It is enough to mention the decoration of the Central and lateral naves, the creation of the famous bronze baldachin (started in 1624 and open in Valentine's day.Peter in 1633), as well as the decoration of the pilasters of the dome base with four huge statues and, finally, the construction in the depth of the apse of the Chair of St.Peter, which is one of the most magnificent architectural achievements of Bernini. It includes the old wooden pulpit, which, according to legend, preached by Apostle Peter himself. Pope Alexander VII, who financed the construction work of this Department, has commissioned Bernini also the final appearance of the square SV.Petra. Under Pope Clement X, the architect has fulfilled its project ciborium, having the shape of a small round temple, which is located in the Chapel Holy Communion.

Around the perimeter of the Cathedral.Peter are numerous chapels, each one beautiful in its own way, especially the Pieta Chapel, named after the famous sculptural group Michelangelo - Pieta, which the young artist has carved in 1499-1500 years, commissioned by the French cardinal Jean Bilara de Lirola.

This is followed by the Chapel of St. Sebastian funerary monument to Pius XII by the sculptor Francesco Messina; chapel of the Holy.Communion with the Bernini's canopy and bronze railings, designed by Francesco Borromini; the Cappella Gregoriana, made in the XVI century by the architect Giacomo della Porta, richly decorated with mosaics and precious marbles; the Chapel of the Column with an exquisite altar of marble, depicting the Meeting of Leo with Attila, the work of Algardi, as well as the tombs of the popes, bearing the name of Leo - II, III, IV and XII; the Clementine Chapel, built by order of Pope Clement XIII by the architect Giacomo della Porta, which holds the remains of St. Gregory the Great, and the remains of the architect; the luxurious Capella Choirs with gilt trim, and finally, the Chapel of Submission with late funerary monument to Pope John XXIII, made by the sculptor Emilio Greco.

St. Peter holds an endless array of famous monuments: from the beautiful Pieta by Michelangelo to a bronze statue of the thirteenth century St. Peter Blessing revered religious; tomb monument of Pope urban VIII by Bernini, as well as a funerary monument to Pope Paul III of the work of Guglielmo della Porta; the tomb, made of bronze by Antonio del Pollaiolo for Pope innocent VIII, which once stood in the old Basilica.Peter and the monument to the Stuarts by Antonio Canova.

Adjoins the Cathedral and the Museum of history of St. Peter or the Museum of the history of art, created by Giovanni Battista Giovenale. It is the Treasury of St. Peter, the great heritage of the Church, which has managed to retain despite repeated from century to century the looting of the Saracens, on the brutal sack of Rome in 1527, and the confiscation that took place in the Napoleonic era.

Saint Peter's square has become world famous due to the fact that it goes to a Grand and truly unique St. Peter's Basilica. Amazing the size of the area (a huge ellipse, the greatest diameter of which is equal to 240 m.) and its layout made by brilliant project Lorenzo Bernini, giving the area with the monumental lateral colonnades special symbolic meaning.

These colonnades, arranged in a semicircle along the short sides of the square, consists of four parallel rows of columns of the Tuscan and Doric form three inner passage. Above the entablature rises 140 huge statues of the Saints. It also presents the coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII, was the initiator of creation of the square, in the centre of which stands the obelisk flanked by two fountains.

Received in the middle ages the name "needle" obelisk was brought to Rome from Heliopolis by the Emperor Caligula; Nero installed it in his circus, which is now the Cathedral.Peter. In different periods of the restoration and redevelopment of the area "needle" was standing next to the Cathedral, and only in 1586 it was installed in the center of the square by the architect Domenico Fontana, who used to do this, a complex system of lifting equipment.

Another architect, Carlo Fontana, who also took part in the reconstruction of the square, was the author of the project of the left of the fountain (year 1677), pair to the right of the fountain, created half a century earlier by the architect Carlo Maderno.