St Peter's Square, Vatican City, Rome

Bernini's design

Gian Lorenzo Bernini laid out the square for Pope Alexander VII in 1656–1667. He had to frame Maderno's wide, low façade, hold tens of thousands of pilgrims and keep the papal blessing window in view. His answer was a huge ellipse formed by two curved colonnades, plus a trapezoid forecourt in front of the church.

Bernini described the colonnades as the 'motherly arms of the Church' reaching out to the faithful. It's peak Baroque: plain Doric columns, but a sweeping movement of space that pulls your eye to the basilica.

The colonnade trick

Each colonnade is four columns deep, 284 in all, topped by 140 statues of saints about 3 metres tall, carved by Bernini's workshop. Between the obelisk and each fountain, look for a round stone disc marked 'Centro del colonnato'. Stand on it and the four rows line up so perfectly that the colonnade seems only one column thick.

From above — the dome of St Peter's — the plan reads as a giant keyhole, with Via della Conciliazione running straight to the Tiber. That avenue was cut through the medieval Borgo district in the 1930s.

The obelisk and fountains

The red granite Vatican obelisk, about 25 metres tall, was brought from Egypt under Emperor Caligula for a circus that stood nearby. It's the only obelisk in Rome that never fell. In 1586 architect Domenico Fontana moved it to the centre of the square — an operation that took months and hundreds of men and horses.

Two fountains flank it: Carlo Maderno's from 1613 on the right and a matching copy finished in 1677 on the left. The water is drinkable, as it is in the small fountains under the colonnade.

Papal audience and Angelus

On Wednesday mornings, when the pope is in Rome, the general audience fills the square. Tickets are free, issued by the Prefecture of the Papal Household on written request or handed out the day before at the bronze doors under the right-hand colonnade. Arrive 1.5–2 hours early for security. In winter the audience sometimes moves indoors to the Paul VI Hall.

On Sundays at 12:00 the pope recites the Angelus from a window of the Apostolic Palace — no ticket needed, just turn up. Expect crowds and a longer security line for the basilica afterwards.

Details to look for

• 'Centro del colonnato' discs — where the four rows of columns merge into one.
• The papal window — top floor of the Apostolic Palace, second from the right.
• Statues of St Peter and St Paul — flanking the steps of the basilica.
• Sundial markers — zodiac signs set into the paving around the obelisk.
• The Vatican border — a travertine line between the colonnades at the end of Via della Conciliazione.
• Vatican post office — under the colonnade, for Vatican stamps and postmarks.

Best time to visit

Early morning, when the square is nearly empty and sun hits the façade, and evening, when the floodlights come on, are the best times. During the day it's busy with the basilica queue. At Christmas a tree and a large nativity scene stand by the obelisk; at Easter the square is decked in flowers.

Is St Peter's Square worth it?

Yes — it's free and one of the most famous squares in the world, and you'll cross it anyway on the way into St Peter's Basilica. Spend half an hour finding the colonnade discs and taking in the scale; for the full picture, climb the dome.

Rome's squares and streets: compare and choose

Squares and walking spots in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

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Vatican Museums

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Castel Sant'Angelo

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How to do it right

• Stand on the colonnade discs to make the columns 'vanish'.
• The fountain water is drinkable.
• The Angelus window is second from the right, top floor.
• The dome gives the best view of the whole square.

Questions