What You Must Know Before Visiting St. Peter's Basilica!

The world's smallest country houses the largest church - absolutely breathtaking! St. Peter's Basilica is a Catholic papal basilica located in Vatican City, currently the largest church in the world. Built between 1506 and 1626, it stands as one of the most important symbols of the Catholic Church. This monumental structure intertwines history and art, with masters like Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bernini contributing to its design and construction. The interior showcases extraordinary works from Renaissance to Baroque periods - these sculptures aren't just carved stone, but projections of artists' souls! 🚇Transport: Take Metro Line A to Ottaviano station ⏰Opening hours: 7:30-18:30 ⛪️Recommended visiting sequence: The basilica has free entry, but dome access requires payment. Due to large crowds, we recommend queuing for dome access first. Stairs cost €8 while elevator costs €10 - strongly suggest spending extra €2 for the elevator! The exit leads directly inside the basilica, so visit the main church after descending. 🌟Three must-see treasures: 1️⃣Right after entrance (start from right side): Michelangelo's Pietà, sculpted when he was 24 - considered the most beautiful among Italy's three Pietàs. The white marble glows with pearl-like luster, barely looking like stone. Michelangelo's signature appears on Mary's sash. 2️⃣Bernini's bronze Baldachin, with 99 eternal lamps burning on the semicircular railing before it. 3️⃣Behind the Baldachin sits the Cathedra Petri (Throne of St. Peter), another Bernini masterpiece. 💡TIPS: 1️⃣Crowds are enormous year-round - arrive early! The basilica opens at 7:30. When we arrived at 7:50, the queue stretched hundreds of meters. We waited 1 hour to enter, then 45 minutes to buy elevator tickets for the dome, followed by another 40 minutes waiting for the elevator - totaling 2.5 hours! By 11am, the queue had doubled back on itself! 2️⃣Strict dress code: No shorts (including skirts above knees) or sleeveless tops permitted.