Italy > The Saint Peter's Basilica

At eight o’clock we are already walking to the bus stop. We are heading out early to make sure we arrive at St. Peter’s Basilica on time. The church is visited daily by thousands of people, which can result in long queues at the entrance. Although it is Sunday and fewer buses are running, bus 98 arrives quickly. I get off at the Vatican. On the roads leading to St. Peter’s Square, police checkpoints have been set up. All luggage is checked. This probably means that the Pope will be giving his weekly address today. I pass through the checkpoint without any problems and step onto St. Peter’s Square. I see the beautiful façade of St. Peter’s Basilica. I was here on Thursday as well, but at that time the sun was behind the basilica. I have enough time to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. I start with the climb to the Dome. At the ticket counter, there are two options: the entire route via the stairs or taking the elevator for the first section. I choose the stairs. This makes the climb a route of 551 steps. At an easy pace, I begin the first steps. It is too warm to walk up any faster. The staircase spirals around the elevator shaft. After about 320 steps, I reach the roof of the church, which is also the end point of the elevator. From here, I already have a beautiful view over St. Peter’s Square and the city of Rome. I can’t get all the way to the edge of the square— a fence prevents this, as they don’t want tourists wandering among the towering statues on the façade. From the back, you can really see how huge these statues are. I walk towards the Dome. Through a small stairway, I enter inside the Dome itself. From the gallery, I look down into the church below. The sound of the holy mass echoes through the dome. Everywhere I look, it is magnificent. Colorful mosaics are placed all around, finished with gold. On the other side, I leave the gallery again.

Italy - The statues on the edge of Saint Peters Basilica

Here begins the stairway for the final stretch. The narrow staircase winds upward, and as I get higher I have to lean slightly to avoid hitting the wall. I am now walking right under the Dome’s roof. When that’s no longer possible, the route continues over an iron stairway. Finally, a small iron spiral staircase leads me to the top. I find myself on a small platform at the very top of St. Peter’s Dome—120 meters above the city. From here, I have a stunning view over all of Rome. Below me lie St. Peter’s Square, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum, and the Vatican Gardens. From the top of the basilica, you can clearly see how small the country of Vatican City actually is. On the other side, I begin the descent from the Dome. It is a good thing they have made it a one-way route, as the stairs are too narrow to pass one another. Before descending completely into the church, I order a cappuccino on the roof of the basilica and refill my water bottle. The souvenir shop, also located on the roof, is closed on Sundays. When I descend the last steps, I find myself in the middle of St. Peter’s Basilica. I am overwhelmed by its beauty. I stand still for a moment to take it all in. Everywhere I look is magnificent—the wall decorations, the statues, the ceiling. At the front of the church, a mass is being held. Many tourists join in, but I skip this. I already enjoy hearing the sounds of the singing echo through the church. At 218 meters in length, St. Peter’s Basilica is the largest church in the world, and it clearly shows. I briefly enter the Chapel of the Holy Communion, which is actually meant for prayer only, but I’m not the only one slipping in for a look.

Italy - From the dome you can see how beautiful the church is

Another passageway leads to the sacristy. The room itself is not accessible, but it can be viewed from the doorway. People are filling small bottles with something, though I’m not exactly sure what. I end my visit to the basilica with the crypt, where the ornate tombs of 148 deceased popes are located. It feels a little strange to walk among them. Some tombs are so beautifully decorated that it feels like a museum. At the other end of the crypt, I emerge again at the front of the basilica, back in the entrance hall. Now I have the chance to see the Holy Door. Eline had explained two days ago at the Vatican Museum that this door only opens during the Holy Year, once every twenty-five years. In all other years, the passage behind the door is sealed with bricks. I enter St. Peter’s again. From the back, you can truly see how enormous the church is. At half past eleven, I leave the church. The square in front is filling with people. The Pope speaks at noon. I stand at the side of the square, still in the shade. Standing in the middle, in the blazing sun, must be unbearable. The flow of people continues to grow, coming in from all directions. When the bells strike twelve, the Pope appears at the window of the papal apartment. Cheers erupt from the square as he begins to speak. He leads a prayer—quite fun to witness. His address lasts only ten minutes. Then the square empties quickly. I meet my travel companions again in front of the Church of the Frisians at the edge of St. Peter’s Square. Sandra takes us to the Trastevere district, where I had dinner last night. Yesterday, I was only at the edge of the district. It is much larger, so we take public transport for part of the way. Unfortunately, the bus leaves right before our eyes. Hopefully, another one will come soon.

Italy - Saint Peters Basilica is 218 meters long

After about fifteen minutes, we get on a bus and get off again three stops later. The bus is so full that I can’t make it to the ticket validation machine at the back, so I decide to leave it. Trastevere used to be a neighborhood for the poor—those who couldn’t live in the city center ended up here. Today, it’s a trendy nightlife district. In its narrow streets, there are cafés and restaurants with lively terraces. At the Piazza di Santa Maria, we spread out over the terraces for lunch. I’m not very hungry, so I order soup. On the other side of the square stands the Basilica of Santa Maria. Sandra drops a coin into a machine, which lights up the mosaic above the altar for a few minutes. The mosaic dates from the 12th century and is in a strict Byzantine style. Part of the group calls it a day after visiting the church and takes a taxi back to the hotel. With a smaller group, we cross over to Tiber Island, walking between the hospital and the church. Around 1500, the city flourished, with Jews holding many influential positions. Pope Paul IV banned them from these roles and forced them to move to a specific part of the city, creating the Jewish Ghetto. This restriction was only partially lifted in 1848. During World War II, many Jews were deported by the Germans. Since then, the Jewish Quarter has changed significantly. The small old houses, where multiple families were crammed together, were demolished. Today, the wide streets are lined with restaurants. The Jewish synagogue is under scaffolding. We look for the bus stop and take a bus to Via Paola, where we transfer to another heading toward the hotel. Around four o’clock, I’m back in my room. I take a shower. In the evening, we head back into the city. It’s nice to see it at night for a change. Sandra suggests taking the metro to the Basilica of St. John Lateran. By now it’s dark, and the city is illuminated.

Italy - The Piazza di Santa Maria in the Trastevere district

From there, we will walk via the Colosseum to Piazza Venezia, stopping somewhere along the way for a drink and a simple meal. When I step out of the metro, I notice how different the city looks at night—beautifully lit buildings, but also dark tunnels and shadowy bushes. St. John Lateran is the mother church of the Catholic world and the most important church for Roman Catholics. I hadn’t realized before that it holds such significance. On the way to the Colosseum, we pass a small restaurant with a rooftop terrace. It’s not very busy, but there’s room for all of us. I order risotto and a beer—I’m quite hungry by now. By the time we finish eating, it’s already 10:45 p.m. We still have a walk to the bus stop at the Victor Emmanuel II Monument. On the way, we pass the Colosseum, and I quickly take a photo of it lit up at night. Most buses run until midnight, after which the night service starts. At the bus stop, we see that bus 916 is still due. It’s very crowded with people waiting. Sandra isn’t confident about our chances, so she suggests walking to a nearby side street, where several bus lines stop, giving us more options. We wait, but no bus comes. Maybe we should take a taxi. The taxi rank is a square away, but there’s also a queue there. Should we just wait for a bus instead? On the digital timetable, we see a bus approaching that could take us part of the way. But it’s completely packed, and we can’t get on. The next bus is also full, but we just manage to squeeze in. In this crowd, validating my ticket is impossible. We get off at the Vatican, where we can catch three different bus lines. It’s unclear if they’re still running. Bus 916 arrives, but no one else can fit on— the doors barely close. To be safe, we take another bus for a few stops. If we can’t get further, we can always walk. From here, it’s still two kilometers to the hotel. As we’re debating what to do next, another bus arrives. It’s crowded too, but we manage to get on. At 12:45 a.m., I’m finally back at the hotel.

Italy - This church is more important than Saint Peters Basilica