St.Peter's Square

At the end of Via della Conciliazione, is Bernini's architectural masterpiece, St. Peter's Square, which can hold over 300,000 people, all embraced by the two immense semicircles of stone, the two long covered walks consisting of 284 columns and surmounted by 142 statues of Saints, all designed by Bernini. This Piazza was built in a short time (between 1655 and 1667) because the architectural project was overseen by Bernini himself. The oldest monument in the square is the monolithic Egyptian obelisk, which stands in the center. Caligula had brought it to Rome to decorate his Circus and near it St. Peter was probably crucified with his head down.

In 1586 under Sixtus V the obelisk was re erected on its present site and later upon it was placed the emblem of the Chigi Pope Alexander VII, the five small mounts and the star in bronze, this device containing a relic of the Cross. The two beautiful fountains were built at different times; the one on the right by Maderno, in 1615, and the other by Bernini, in 1677, which was the last monument put within the colonnade.

Set into the paving, between the fountains and the obelisk, are two round marble slabs; standing on either of these and observing the colonnade, you have the impression that St. Peter's Square is encircled by a single row of colomns instead of a quadruple one.

Visitors and Romans gather every Sunday on St. Peter's Square for the Pope's blessing and particularly on January Ist, Palm Sunday and, of course, on Easter Sunday and Christmas.

Papal Public Audiences are held on Wednesdays in the new Audience Hall or St. Peter's Basilica. During the Pope's summer stay at Castel Gandolfo, the travel companies operate tours to the picturesque region of the Alban Hills including the Papal Audience in his summer residence.

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