St. Peter's Square is the main square of Rome, attracting the attention of not only curious tourists, but also believing Catholics around the world. It is here that the main sights of the Vatican are collected , and also on this square you can hear and see the Pope himself, weekly preaching to his flock.
The main square of Rome is located right in front of the main shrine of the Catholics - St. Peter's Basilica. It was built by the famous Italian sculptor and architect, Givanni Bernini, in the XVII century. St. Peter's Square is one of the most amazing architectural masterpieces, which forever glorified its creator.
Perhaps you can’t find a country that has such a long history and attracted tourists to interesting places like Italy.
Rome, the sights of which have been studied not only by archaeologists and researchers, but also travelers from around the world, has been especially charismatic and attractive for many years. This city has witnessed a huge number of events, which could not but be reflected in its architectural ensemble.
Previously, the circus of Nero was located on the territory of St. Peter's Square, here, according to tradition, the apostle Peter was crucified on an inverted cross . He suffered a martyrdom during the persecution of Christians by Nero. It is believed that St. Peter's Basilica was built at the burial place of the apostle, because Rome was the last refuge of the saint. The comments of archaeologists who excavated under the cathedral in the middle of the twentieth century, only confirmed these assumptions. A cemetery was discovered here, and one of the graves was most respected in the 1st and 2nd centuries. In all likelihood, the apostle Peter was buried in it.
The main square of Rome is a place where Catholics from different countries, speaking different languages, feel spiritual unity during the service of the Pope. The entire space is divided into two areas: trapezoidal and oval, so that together they form the shape of the key. This is no accident, because Christ promised the Apostle Peter to give the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The first square is framed by galleries, and the second by colonnades. On a huge staircase located on the trapezoid square, there are statues of two apostles: Peter and Paul. St. Peter's Basilica is very harmoniously combined with the square; these architectural works only complement each other. On the oval part are two colonnades, over which are installed 96 statues of martyrs and saints. In the center are two fountains of the 17th century, which Bernini and Maderno worked on. There is also an Egyptian obelisk brought by Caligula from Heliopolis, its height reaches 35.5 m.
A little more than 800 people live in the Vatican, but on weekends and holidays it is crowded because thousands of parishioners from all over the world come to the square. And on Easter, the number of believers is hundreds of thousands. And all of them accept the main square of Rome. People of different nationalities, but of the same faith, feel their unity. In 2009, the
Pope congratulated the pilgrims gathered in Easter in 63 languages on Easter. This once again emphasizes that faith can unite even the most diverse people.