Saint Peters Basilica - Vatican City, by Ruby

Today we visited Saint Peter's Basilica which is the most important Catholic church in the world! This is because it is where the Catholic Popes reside and where Saint Peter was crucified in 64 AD BY Nero, the Roman Emperor at the time. The impressive dome on this building was designed and partly built by Michael Angelo. Unfortunately, he died before completing the dome but his plans were thankfully still used and completed the way he had planned.

On the outside of the church there are two curved rows of collumns on either side creating a effect that looks like arms reaching out to welcome you. On top of these arms are statues of Important Saints from the past and in the middle of the piazza is an Egyptian obelisk that has been there for thousands of years. Many more obelisks are dotted all around Rome.

When you go inside of the church you will be amazed by the beauty and size of it. It's length is as long as two rugby feilds. The walls, roof and floor are covered in carvings, sculptures, mosiacs and paintings. This church is so big that it had been designed to look smaller than it actually is. One example is the pillars. Eachone had two sculpures of them, one higher than the other. If you look at both if them you would they are the same size but if you could put them next to each other you would see that the higher sculture is double the height of the lower one. This was done because if the top on was the same size, it would look smaller because it is further away.

Another peice of art that Michael Angelo had created for the church, is a sculpure of Mary holding Jesus in her arms after he was crusified. It was placed in a glass covering to protect it from damage.

In many of the corners of the church there were areas behind the pillars which contained huge masiacs that from far off would simply look like a painting. In these areas there were also many more ginormous sculpures of saints, angles and chubby babys with wings that were taller than an adult!

There is bronze statchue of Peter located just in front of the domed part of the church, in one hand he is blessing the congregation and in the other hand he is holding a key.

I loved this church, it is so beautiful and incredible! I really hope that I get to go again because it is just scuh a unuiqe and incredible experience!

-Ruby