The Basilica of Saint Peter - Rome

The Basilica of Saint Peter is located within the Vatican City in Rome, and is the best-known church and one of the holiest sites of Christendom. It said to be the finest church on the planet. In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. There has been a church on this site since the 4th century. Construction on the present basilica, began on April 18, 1506 and was completed in 1626. Saint Peter's is famous as a place of pilgrimage, as a work of architecture, for its liturgical functions and for its many historical associations.

The Basilica of Saint Peter

.... The Basilica of Saint Peter is the most prominent building inside the Vatican City. Its dome is also a dominant feature of the Roman skyline. Possibly the largest church building in Christianity, it covers an area of 2.3 ha and has a capacity of over 60,000 people. Although the Vatican basilica is not the Pope's official seat, it is most certainly his principal church, as most Papal ceremonies take place at St. Peter's due to its size.

The Basilica of Saint Peter

The Basilica of Saint Peter

The Basilica of Saint Peter - Dome

As built, the double dome is brick, 42.3 meters in interior diameter, rising to 120 meters above the floor. In the mid-18th century, cracks appeared in the dome, so four iron chains were installed between the two shells to bind it, like the rings that keep a barrel from bursting. Visitors who climb the spiral stairs between the dome shells can glimpse them.

The Basilica of Saint Peter

The Basilica of Saint Peter

Pope Johannes Paul II (1920 - 2005) burial place.

The Basilica of Saint Peter

Sunset.

The Colosseum - Rome

The Colosseum or Coliseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. Its construction started between 70 and 72 AD and was completed in 80 AD. Originally capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It remained in use for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games being held there as late as the 6th century.

The Colosseum - Rome

Today Colosseum is one of modern Rome's most popular tourist attractions.

The Colosseum - Rome

The Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) is the largest — standing 25.9 meters high and 19.8 meters wide — and most ambitious of the Baroque fountains of Rome.

The Trevi Fountain by night

A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Among those who are unaware that the "three coins" of Three Coins in the Fountain were thrown by three different individuals, a reported current interpretation is that two coins will ensure a marriage will occur soon, while three coins leads to a divorce. A reported current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain. Approximately 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain each day.

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is a square in Rome and the pride of Baroque Rome. It has sculptural and architectural creations: by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers, 1651) in the center.

Piazza Navona - The Fontana del Nettuno

The Fontana del Nettuno at night.

The Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps is a set of steps in Rome. The monumental stairway of 138 steps was built with French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s in 1723–1725, linking the Bourbon Spanish Embassy to the Holy See.

The Spanish Steps

View from the top of the Spanish Steps.

The Piazza Venezia

The Piazza Venezia is a piazza in central Rome and it is dominated by the imposing Victor Emmanuel II monument. This is the large central square in the hub of Rome. Piazza Venezia has a constant stream of traffic, yet no traffic lights. Instead, a white gloved traffic police officer stands on a block and directs traffic.

National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II

The Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II is a monument to honour Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. The monument was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in 1895. It was inaugurated in 1911 and completed in 1935.

Ponte S. Angelo

Castel Sant'Angelo

The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building has spent over a thousand years as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum. The popes converted the structure into a castle, from the 14th century; Pope Nicholas III connected the castle to St. Peter's Basilica by a covered fortified corridor. The fortress was the refuge of Pope Clement VII from the siege of Charles V's Landsknecht during the Sack of Rome (1527).