St Peter's Basilica and Square

St Peter's Basilica is the greatest church in Christendom, raised over the tomb of the apostle Peter, crowned by Michelangelo's mighty dome and filled with treasures including his sculpted Pieta. It opens onto St Peter's Square, Bernini's vast oval embraced by a colonnade, the heart of the Vatican and of the Catholic world, where the pope addresses the faithful.

What's there

• The basilica - the vast interior, Bernini's baldachin and Michelangelo's Pieta.
• The dome - the climb up Michelangelo's dome for a view over Rome.
• St Peter's Square - Bernini's great colonnaded oval.
• The papal appearances - the Wednesday audience and Sunday blessing.

When to go

Year-round; spring and autumn are milder. Go early to avoid the long security queue, and dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, or you will be turned away.

Before you go

The security queue to enter the basilica can be very long, so go early. A strict modest dress code is enforced. It is a working church and place of pilgrimage, so services and papal events can restrict access, and it is always busy.

Nearby

The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel are alongside; the Castel Sant'Angelo is a short walk.