St. Peter's Square in Rome

I went to Italy a few years ago for a Study Abroad program with the University of Delaware, and was was fortunate enough to visit one of the most famous squares in Rome.  St. Peter's Square, or in Italian, Piazza San Pietro, is located in the heart of Vatican City. It's an extremely beautiful and very affluent place.
 

In April 1655, Alexander VII was elected as the new pope and commissioned sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini to create a new square. It took twelve years to complete his vision. 

St. Peter's Square is bordered on either side by semi-circular coloumns in a semi-circle which, according to Bernini, symbolize the stretched arms of the church embracing the world. The columsns were built in 1660 and consist of four rows of columns with in total 284 columns. The columns are 66 feet high.  140 statues were installed on top of the colonnades, all created by Bernini and his students. They represent popes, martyrs, evangelists and other religious figures.

 

 

On special occasions or holidays, such as the election of a new pope or on Easter, an average of 400,000 people are in the square.  It is a holy site and home to some beautiful and famous art. 

Unlike Times Square, there are no Street Performers and it is very clean.  This is after all, a holy site and home of the Vatican.  I was lucky enough to take a tour and learn about the history and art here.  It amazes me how wealthy Vatican city is, when just outside the gates the city is full of poor people.    

 

 

I hope to visit again soon.  I loved Rome and everything it had to offer.