After 120 years of construction, the reign of 18 different popes, and the direction of 12 different architects (including Michelangelo and Bernini), St. Peter’s Basilica was finally consecrated in 1626. Measuring more than two football fields in length, it was by far the largest church in Christendom and a fitting monument to the burial place of the first pope, St. Peter. Still today, four centuries later, St. Peter’s serves as the global seat of the Catholic faith. The church is a splendid combination of Renaissance and Baroque architectural styles and contains a magnificent collection of works of art (including Michelangelo’s “Pietà” and Bernini’s “Baldacchino”). Buona visita!