English
English
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Grand Tomb of St. Peter
- Vatican Grottoes
- Vatican Museums
- St. Peter's Basilica Dome
- St. Peter's Square
- Sistine Chapel
- Vatican Necropolis
- History
- Architecture
- Inside
- Floor Plan
- Old St. Peter's Basilica
- St. Peter's Chair
- Statues
- St. Peter's Altar
- St. Peter's Baldacchino
- Saint Peter
- Plan Your Visit
- Skip the Line Tours
- Guided Tours
- Night Tours
- Timings
- Directions
- Entrances
- Facts
- Feast of the Chair of St. Peter
- Mass
- Dress Code
- Colosseum
- Vatican Museums
- Castel Sant Angelo
- Rome Pantheon
- Borghese Gallery
- Roman Catacombs Tour
- Bioparco Rome
- Big Bus Rome Hop-On Hop-Off Tickets
- Palazzo Barberini
- Musei Capitolini
- Leonardo da Vinci Museum
- Trevi Fountain Tours
- Roman Baths of Caracalla
- Palazzo Merulana
- Crypta Balbi
- Altare della Patria
- Rome Underground Tours
- Mamertine Prison
Contents
Climb Michelangelo's Dome | St. Peter’s Basilica Dome Tickets
St. Peter's BasilicaSt. Peter's Basilica Dome
Book St. Peter's Basilica Dome Guided Tour Tickets
Combo (Save 5%): Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel + St. Peter’s Basilica Dome Guided Tour
Mobile Ticket
Flexible Duration
Guided Tour
More details
from
€86.26
St. Peter's Dome | Quick Facts
- Location: Vatican City
- External Height of the Dome (From road to the top of the cross): 133 meters
- Internal Height (From floor to vault of the lantern): 117.57 meters
- External Diameter: 58,90 meters
- Internal Diameter: 41.5 meters (136 ft)
- Total weight: 14,000 tons (approx)
- Designed By: Michelangelo
- Materials Used: Concrete, volcanic stones tuff, and pumice.
Why Take a St. Peter’s Basilica Dome Tour?
The St. Peter's Basilica Dome was designed by artist extraordinaire, Michelangelo. Not only does the exterior of this towering dome look impressive, but the interiors are spellbindingly beautiful, adorned with vibrant mosaics and sumptuous stucco ornaments.
The dome’s beauty and history can be overwhelming if you don't know where to look and which section to visit first. For this, we recommend opting for a St. Peter's Basilica Dome guided tour. A guided tour is perfect for visitors who want to do more than just view the architecture and return.
It’s important to note that a standard St. Peter’s Basilica tour does not include access to the Dome; you will have to purchase tickets that specifically offer a tour of the dome.
St. Peter's Basilica Dome TicketsDesign of the St. Peter's Basilca Dome
The dome of St. Peter's Basilica stands above the altar and rises to a total height of 400 feet from the floor. In the four spandrels that connect the square piers and the drum, you will find medallions depicting the four Evangelists: Matthew with the ox, Mark with the lion, Luke with the angel, and John with the eagle.
You will find an inscription featuring the words of Christ to Peter, as recorded in Mathew 16:18: and the letters are illuminated by the light streaming from 16 large windows.
Above this, the dome is divided into sixteen ribs decorated by 96 figures, followed by a star-spangled night sky, on top of which is the lantern. At its base, you will find a Latin inscription that translates to: "To the glory of St. Peter, Pope Sixtus V in the year 1590, the fifth of his pontificate". The 18 m long lantern comes to end with the painting of God.
Architecture of St. Peter's BasilicaMosaics on the Dome
Paintings on The Dome
Above the windows that light up the inscription, the dome is divided into sixteen ribs and many segments. Each section is decorated by the portrayal of a majestic figure, across six ascending concentric levels. Starting at the bottom these are the figures you will find through the dome:
1. Busts of the 16 popes buried in the Basilica.
2. Figures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, St. John the Baptist and the Apostles.
3. In rectangular frames, you will find depictions of angels bearing the instruments of Jesus' Passion.
4. In circular medallion, you will find the depiction of faces of cherubim and seraphim.
5. Above this are angels, the custodians of St. Peter's tomb.
6. Faces of winged angels.
Above these mosaics, you will see the Latin inscription that honors Pope Sixtus V, followed by the lantern, at the center of which you will find the depiction of God.
Who Painted the Mosaics On St. Peter's Basilica Dome?
Many artists are responsible for the mosaics on the St. Peter's Basilica Dome.
Towards the end of the 16th century, Giovanni de' Vecchi and Cesare Nebbia were commissioned to decorate the pediments of the dome. They were responsible for creating the representation of the four Evangelists, while the angels on the upper triangles are designed by Cesare Roncalli. The Popes and Saints were by Giovanni Guerra and Cesare Nebbia; the decorative motifs between the 16 ribs are by Cristoforo Pomarancio.
Clement VIII commissioned Giuseppe Cesari, known as Cavalier d'Arpino to work on the decoration on the upper part of the dome. He prepared the cartoons from 1603 to 1612. He designed the iconographic layout and created 65 life-size cartoons These drawings were transposed into mosaic simultaneously by various mosaic artists of the period (Turchi, Torelli, Rossetti, Abatini, Serafini).
Map of the Mosaics on St. Peter's Basilica Dome
This is the view of the dome from below when your back faces the central nave.
Index
1. St James the Lesser
2. St James the Greater
3. St Simon
4. St Thomas
5. St Bartholomew
6. St Thaddaeus
7. St John the Baptist
8. The Redeemer
9. The Virgin Mary
10. St Peter
11. St Paul
12. St John the Evangelist
13. St Andrew
14. St Philip
15. St Matthew
16. St Matthias
History of the St. Peter's Basilica Dome
Architects: Bramante and Sangallo
1506-1515
Bramante, the original architect of the St. Peter's Basilica, was inspired by the Pantheon. The dome would follow a similar profile, except for the lantern. The supporting wall would become a drum raised on four piers. The wall would be lightened with the help of windows and a peristyle.
Sangallo, who took over in 1513, found inspiration from the Florence Cathedral as well as the Pantheon. He developed on Bramante's plan and converted the peristyle into a series of arched and ordered openings around the base, with a second such arcade in a tier above the first. The lantern became a massive structure, surrounded by a projecting base, and peristyle. This would have been surmounted by a conical spire.
Architect: Michelangelo
1547- 1564
When Michelangelo took over as the architect of the Basilica, he redesigned the dome. He took inspiration from the existing designs but modified them to a more realistic, but magnificent one. His dome would be made with two shells of brick and would be raised from piers on a drum. The peristyle and arcaded was replaced by 16 pairs of Corinthian columns, connected by an arch, which would give the dome an ovoid shape.
When Michelangelo died in 1564, only the drum of the dome and piers were complete. The work was continued under his assistant Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola with Giorgio Vasari who followed Michelangelo's plans exactly. However, very little progress was made.
Architects: Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana
1585- 1590
The dome was brought to completion by Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana in 1590. They were appointed by Sixtus V. Fontana completed the lantern and had an inscription that would honor Sixtus V during the reign of Gregory XIV. Clement VIII, who followed, had the cross raised in its place.
In the mid-18th century, cracks appeared in the dome, and four iron chains were installed to bind the two shells.
Climbing the Cupola
There are two parts to climbing the St. Peter's Basilica Dome.
Climbing to the First Level
The first level of the dome is up 231 steps. Sounds exhausting? Well, you can skip the climb and take the elevator. You wind up on the inside of Michelangelo's dome, and from here, you can enjoy the views of the interiors of the basilica from above, explore the mosaics up close, and also explore the roof of the basilica, which houses the statues of Jesus and the apostles that you can see from the square. You can wind down at the roof by shopping at the gift shop and grabbing a snack from the refreshment stand. You will also find a restroom here.
However, it is important to remember at this level, you are simply viewing the dome up-close from the gallery. To reach the inside of the some you will have to climb a small staircase.
Climbing to the Top of The Dome
This part of the climb is optional. There is no elevator for this part, but climbing the next 320 will take you to the absolute top of the Basilica's dome. However, this part of the climb can be tricky. The single-file staircase spirals up, and the roof tends to slant in as you go up. As you keep climbing the staircase gets narrower, and on the last steps, you will only have a rope to hang on to.
While there are windows along the way, if you are claustrophobic or acrophobic, this climb can prove to be difficult. However, the climb will prove to be worthwhile once you are at the top. You can enjoy spectacular views of the city from here.
When to Climb The St. Peter's Basilica Dome?
Opening Hours
Best Time to Climb
The St. Peter's Basilica Dome is open during the following hours:
April to September 7:30 AM to 5 PM
October to March: 7:30 AM to 5 PM
Duration: It can take you about a half-hour to an hour to finish the climb.
St. Peter's Basilica Opening Hours
The basilica faces east, which means that you would get a clear view of the sun rising from here. Opt to climb the cupola during the morning hours. This will allow you to cut down your wait time and avoid crowds. But, this might mean that you would not get your perfect shot for the 'gram.
You can also make the climb towards closing time if you can't be bothered to make the climb first thing in the morning.
If you plan to visit the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica on the same day, make sure to climb the dome before you explore the basilica as the dome closes earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions About St. Peter’s Basilica Dome Tickets
Q. Do I need a ticket to access St. Peter’s Basilica Dome?
A. Yes. You would need to book a ticket to access the St. Peter’s Basilica Dome. You can book your St. Peter's Basilica Dome tickets here.
Q. How do I get to St. Peter's Basilica Dome?
A. You will need to purchase St. Peter's Dome tickets to climb the dome. During the climb, you can take the 231 steps to get to the top or take the elevator. To go higher onto the roof, you will have to climb an additional 320 steps.
Q. Are guided tours of the St. Peter's Basilica Dome available?
A. Yes, Peter's Basilica Dome guided tours are available. A guided tour is a great way to understand the history, design and other interesting aspects of the dome as you explore it.
Q. Is visiting the St Peter's Basilica dome worth it?
A. Yes, St. Peter's Basilica Dome is worth visiting for the views offered from the top and for the chance to view the art and architecture from a close-up point of view.
Q. Who designed the St. Peter's Basilica Dome?
A. Michelangelo designed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. He was commissioned for the project in 1546 by Pope Paul III.
Q. Can I climb St Peter's Basilica dome?
A. Yes, you can climb the cupola. However, you need to purchase tickets to be allowed entry to the dome.
Q. How do I enter St. Peter's Basilica?
A. You can take the main entrance at St. Peter's Square to enter the basilica. The entrance through the Sistine Chapel is closed to visitors.
Q. What are the opening hours of the St. Peter's Basilica Dome?
A. The St. Peter's Basilica Dome is open from 7:30 AM to 5 PM.
Q. When is the best time to climb the St. Peter's Basilica Dome?
A. To avoid crowds and long lines, plan to make the climb during the morning hours. This way you could also catch the view of the sun rise from the top.
Q. Is there a dress code to visit the St. Peter's Basilica Dome?
A. The dome is a part of the basilica and visitors of the St. Peter's Basilica are expected to follow a strict dress code as it is a functioning church. Additionally, since there is a lot of climbing involved, it would be smart to wear comfortable clothes and footwear.
