In the era of ancient Rome is a place between two hills and the Tiber - Janiculum and the Vatican, was occupied by the Circus of Nero. There was martyred and was buried Apostle Peter. When Pope Anaclet on this place was built a small basilica tomb.

In 324, Emperor Constantine replaced the modest tomb in the basilica in the style of the early Christian churches of Rome. Completed in 349 by Constantius, son of Constantine, the basilica with time greatly enriched by the generous gifts of the popes and wealthy donors. It was here, in the Basilica of Constantine, Charlemagne in the year 800 took the crown from the hands of Pope Leo III, and after him there were crowned Emperor Lothair, Louis Frederick II and III.

A thousand years after its foundation the Basilica of St. Peter's 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 project of Bernardo Rossellino. At the height of construction, when the construction of a new department, all work was stopped due to the death of Pope Nicholas V. It was only in 1506 by Pope Julius II construction works were resumed. Most of the former basilica was destroyed by Bramante (received the title of master-destroyer), which decided to build a new building in the modern classic style: that is, the building was supposed to be a Greek cross plan, modeled on the Pantheon. For half a century in the construction of the Cathedral was attended by, one after another, the architects Fra Giocondo, Raphael, Giuliano da Sangallo the Younger and finally Michelangelo, who modified the project of Bramante, increasing the size of the cathedral and crowned him with a huge dome.

Following Michelangelo worked here such masters 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 the building of the basilica again, returning to the idea of ​​a Latin cross. To this end, the architect Carlo Maderno added on each side of the building, three chapels and the nave extended to the size of a modern facade, which became the subject of the tender projects, which won Maderna. The works were started them in 1607 and completed in 1612. For the construction took "the whole mountain of travertine from the Tivoli quarries."

Facade of the Cathedral impresses with its powerful forms the solemn rhythm of Corinthian columns and pilasters of the central portal and the side arches. The top is decorated with nine balconies. The crowning element is the traditional attic with a balustrade, on which rises thirteen huge statues of the apostles of Christ and John the Baptist.

And finally, over all this is dominated by the majestic dome with strong ribs - the creation of Michelangelo. On either side of it are two smaller domes crowning the Gregorian and Clementine Chapel, made by Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola.

After the death of Carlo Maderno, followed in 1629, working in the cathedral led an ingenious architect Lorenzo Bernini .  He gave the cathedral a pronounced Baroque painting .  Suffice it to mention the decoration of the central and side aisles, the creation of the famous bronze baldachin (begun in 1624 and opened on the day of St. . Peter's in 1633), as well as decorating the base of the dome pilasters four huge statues, and finally, the construction in the back of the apse of St. Departments . Peter, who is one of the most magnificent architectural achievements Bernini .  It includes an old wooden chair, which, according to legend, he preached the apostle Peter .  Pope Alexander VII, who financed the construction of this chair, also requested finalization of the square Bernini St. . Peter .  When Pope Clement X architect performed on your project ciborium shaped like a small round temple, which is located in the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament .

The entire perimeter of the Cathedral of St. Peter are numerous chapels, each in its own way is beautiful, especially Pieta Chapel, named for the famous group of sculptures by Michelangelo - Pieta, which the young artist carved in 1499-1500 years by order of the French cardinal Jean de Biler Lagrola .

Followed Chapel Sv.Sebastyan a tombstone Pius XII by sculptor Francesco Messina; Capella Sv.Prichastiya a ciborium by Bernini and a bronze fence made Francesco Borromini; Cappella Gregoriana, made at the end of the XVI century by the architect Giacomo della Porta, richly decorated with mosaics and precious marble; Columns Chapel with exquisite marble altarpiece depicting Meeting Leo with Attila, Algardi work, as well as the tombs of the popes who bore the name of Lion - II, III, IV and XII; Clementine Chapel, built by order of Pope Clement XIII architect Giacomo della Porta that keeps the remains of St. Gregory the Great, as well as the remains of the architect; luxurious Capella Choir with gilt trim, and finally the Chapel Performances late tombstone Pope John XXIII, the sculptor Emilio Greco.

Cathedral of St. Peter holds an infinite number of famous monuments: the beautiful Pieta by Michelangelo to the XIII century bronze statue of St. Peter Blessing, revered by believers; funerary monument to Pope Urban VIII by Bernini, and tombstone Pope Paul III of Guglielmo della Porta; tomb, made of bronze Antonio Pollaiuolo to Pope Innocent VIII, who used to be in the old St. Peter's Basilica and the monument to the Stuarts by Antonio Canova.

Adjacent to the cathedral of St. Peter's Cathedral History Museum or the Museum of the History of Art, created by Giovanni Battista Dzhovenale. It is the Treasury of St. Peter - a huge heritage of the Church, which managed to maintain despite repeated from century to century Saracen looting, ill-sack of Rome in 1527, and the confiscation took place in the Napoleonic era.

St. Peter's Square has become world famous thanks to the fact that it leaves a grand and truly unique St. Peter's Basilica. Overwhelming dimension area (a huge ellipse, the largest diameter of which is equal to 240 m.) And its plan, implemented by the ingenious design Lorenzo Bernini, giving the area with the help of the monumental side colonnades special symbolic significance.

These colonnades arranged in a semicircle along the short side of the square consists of four parallel rows of Tuscan columns and Doric forming three inner passage. Above the entablature rise 140 enormous statues of Saints. It also represented the coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII, who appeared initiated the establishment of the area, the center of which stands an obelisk surrounded by two fountains.

Get in the Middle Ages, the name "needle" obelisk was brought to Rome from Heliopolis emperor Caligula; Nero installed it in his circus, which now occupies the place of St. Peter's Cathedral. In different periods of restoration and re-planning area, "needle" was next to the cathedral, and only in 1586 it was installed in the center of the square by the architect Domenico Fontana, to use for this complex system of cranes.

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