St Peter's Square

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Map

Piazza San Pietro

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St Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro) takes the form of an immense ellipse (194 metres by 148 metres). 

The twin colonnades were commissioned by Pope Alexander VII (r. 1655-67) and built by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) between 1656 and 1667, a gigantic and costly undertaking that nearly bankrupted the papacy. Bernini intended the gently curving colonnades to symbolise 'the maternal arms of Mother Church'. 

Bernini also built two straight wings (120 metres long) to link the colonnades to the basilica. 

Coat of Arms of Pope Alexander VII

The two colonnades are made up of 284 thirteen-metre-high Doric columns, four rows deep. They are crowned with the coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII and the statues of 96 saints and martyrs, the work of members of Bernini's workshop. There are a further 44 statues on the two wings, making a grand total of 140. The statues, which are three metres high, were designed by Bernini and executed by a number of sculptors. ​​

Statues Atop the Colonnades

Note: The first statue on each colonnade is sited on the exterior. 

Left Colonnade:
1. St. Norbert; 2. St. Theobald; 3. St. Theodore; 4. St. Jerome; 5. St. Hilarion; 6. St. Bruno; 7. St. Louis Bertrand; 8. St. John of Matha; 9. St. Romuald; 10. St. Joseph; 11. St. Peter Nolasco; 12. St. Paul the Hermit; 13. St. Anthony Abbot; 14. St. Francis de Paola; 15. St. Anthony of Padua; 16. St. Charles Borromeo; 17. St. Philip Neri; 18. St. Philip Benizi; 19. St. Cajetan; 20. St. Francis Xavier; 21. St. Hyacinth; 22. St. Theodora; 23. St. Beatrice. Coat of Arms 24. St. Rose of Lima; 25. St. Galla; 26. Pope St. Marcellinus; 27. Pope St. Sylvester; 28. Pope St. Martin; 29. Pope St. Marcellus; 30. Pope St. Peter Celestine; 31. Pope St. Clement; 32. Pope St. Leo IV; 33. St. Gregory of Nazanzius; 34. St. Ubaldo; 35. St. John Chrysostom; 36. St. Athanasius; 37. Pope St. Leo the Great; 38. St. Alexander; 39. St. Ignatius; 40. St. Spyridon; 41. St. Eusebius; 42. St. Romanus; 43. St. Stephen; 44. St. Lawrence.

Left Wing:
45. St. Pelagia; 46. St. Crescentius; 47. St. Andrew Corsini; 48. St. Constance; 49. St. Felix; 50. St. Achilleus; 51. St. Nereus; 52. St. Julian; 53. St. Paul; 54. St. Basilissa; 55. St. Hyppolitus; 56. St. Felician; 59. St Primus; 60. St. Faustus; 61. St Timothy; 62. St. Sebastian; 63. Pope St. Fabian; 64. St. Pudentiana; 65. St. Praxedes; 66. St. Modestus; 67. St. Vitus; 68. St. Marcellinus; 69. St. Mark; 70. St. Bonaventure.

Right Colonnade:
1. St. Gallicanus; 2. St. Leonard; 3. St. Petronilla; 4. St. Vitalis; 5. St. Thecla; 6. St. Albert; 7 St. Elizabeth of Portugal; 8. St. Agatha; 9. St. Ursula; 10. St. Clare; 11. St. Olympias; 12. St. Lucy; 13. St. Balbina; 14. St. Apollonia; 15. St. Remigius; 16. St. Ignatius of Loyola; 17. St. Benedict; 18. St. Bernard; 19. St. Francis of Assisi; 20. St. Dominic; 21. St. John Damascene; 22. St. Theodosia; 23. St. Ephraim. Coat of Arms 24. St. Mary of Egypt; 25. St. Mark the Evangelist; 26. St. Febronia; 27. St. Fabiola; 28. St. Nilamon the Lonely; 29. St. Marcianus; 30. St. Eusignius; 31. St. Marinus; 32. St. Dydimius; 33. St. Apollonius; 34. St. Candida; 35. St. Fausta; 36. St. Barbara; 37. St. Benignus; 38. St. Malco; 39. St. Marmant; 40. St. Columba; 41. Pope St. Pontian; 42. St. Genesius; 43. St. Agnes; 44. St. Catherine.

Right Wing:
45. St. Justin; 46. St. Cecilia; 47. St. Frances of Rome; 48. St. George; 49. St. Magdalen de Pazzi; 50. St. Susanna; 51. St. Martina; 52. St. Nicholas of Bari; 53. St. Nicholas of Tolentino; 54. St. Francis Borgia; 55. St. Francis de Sales; 56. St. Theresa; 57. St. Juliana; 58. St. Julian; 59. St. Celsius; 60. St. Anastasius; 61. St. Vincent; 62. St. Paul; 63. St. John; 64. St. Damian; 65. St. Cosima; 66. St. Zosimus; 67. St. Rufus; 68. St. Protase; 69. St. Gervase; 70. St. Thomas Aquinas.

One of the Two Discs Marking the 'Centro del Colonnato'

Embedded into the cobblestones of the piazza, between the fountains and the obelisk, are two marble discs, each bearing the words 'centro del colonnato'. Stand on one of the discs, look at the nearest colonnade, and you will see that the four rows of columns line up perfectly, creating the illusion that there is only a single set!

St Peter by Giuseppe de Fabris

Two colossal statues flank the steps leading up to St Peter's Basilica.  The statue of Saint Peter (1835-8) is the work of Giuseppe de Fabris (1790-1860). The apostle holds two keys in his right hand and a scroll in his left. On the latter is written: ET TIBI DABO CLAVES REGNI CAELORVM ('And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven', Matthew: 16:19, KJV). 

St Paul by Adamo Tadolini

The statue of Saint Paul (1838) was created by Adamo Tadolini (1788-1868), a student of the great neo-classical sculptor Antonio Canova. St. Paul holds a long sword, the instrument of his martyrdom, and a scroll. On the scroll is written in Hebrew: 'I can do all things in him who strengthens me,' (Phil. 4:13). 

One of the Two Pedestals

The two five-metre-high pedestals sport the coat of arms of Pope Pius IX (r. 1846-78) and of the Reverenda Fabbrica di San Pietro (R. F. S. P.), the body responsible for the conservation and maintenance of St. Peter's Basilica. ​​​​​

Wind Rose

​The Wind Rose (rosa dei venti) encircling the obelisk uses the compass points to show the different wind directions. 16 oval marble markers identify the winds. 

One of the Sixteen Marble Markers of the Wind Rose

The Wind Rose was added in the middle of the 19th century when Pope Pius IX (r. 1846-78) created a traffic-free zone in the centre of the piazza. The zone is protected by sixty-eight granite posts, punctuated by four ornate wrought-iron lamp posts. ​

One of the Four Wrought-iron Lamp Posts

At the end of the right colonnade, the grand Portone di Bronzo is the main entrance to the Palazzo Apostolico (Apostolic Palace), the Pope's official residence.

Portone di Bronzo

The great bronze door, which is inscribed with the name of Pope Paul V (r. 1605-21), is surmounted by a mosaic of the Virgin and Child, St Peter & St Paul. 

Scala Regia

The door leads to the Scala Regia (Royal Staircase), which was created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The Scala Regia is a grand stairway that connects the Apostolic Palace to St. Peter's Basilica. It was designed for Pope Alexander VII (r. 1655-67) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) and built between 1663 and 1666.

The Vision of Constantine

Half-way up the stairway stands an equestrian statue of the emperor Constantine, which is also the work of the indefatigable Bernini. It depicts the vision the emperor is said to have had on the eve of the epoch-making Battle of the Milvian Bridge, which took place on October 28th 312

One of the Lamps in the Colonnades

The two colonnades sport very attractive 19th century lamps. 

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