What are the nearest attractions to St. Peter's Baldachin (Baldacchino di San Pietro)?

Attractions near St. Peter's Baldachin (Baldacchino di San Pietro): La Pietà St. Peter's Dome (Cupola di San Pietro) St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro)

What else should I know about attractions in Rome?

As well as visiting the St. Peter's Baldachin (Baldacchino di San Pietro), check out these trip ideas to make the most of your visit: 8 Must-See Rome Neighborhoods and How to Visit Private Vatican Tours 8 Can’t-Miss Ancient Ruins in Rome That Aren’t the Colosseum

St. Peter's Baldachin (Baldacchino di San Pietro) - What To Know BEFORE You Go

The Basics

To view St. Peter’s Basilica, an important repository of art and sculpture, opt for a guided tour to learn about the baldachin and other works, including Michelangelo’sPietà, Bernini’s equestrian statue of Constantine, and the ubiquitous mosaics. Book an early or evening entrance or skip-the-line tour to avoid a wait to enter this popular Rome attraction. Combine a visit with St. Peter’s Dome above and the Vatacombs (papal tombs) below, or join an extended Vatican tour.

Things to Know Before You Go

You must pass through a security check to access the basilica—banned items include pocketknives, corkscrews, and umbrellas.
Your shoulders and knees must be covered to enter St. Peter’s Basilica.
The basilica’s interiors and St. Peter’s Baldachin are accessible to wheelchair users.
Photography without flash is allowed inside the basilica.

Trip ideas

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Private Vatican Tours

The Inauspicious Beginnings of St. Peter’s Baldachin

Bernini’s design for St. Peter’s Baldachin (Baldacchino di San Pietro), commissioned by Pope Urban VIII, called for so much bronze that the Pantheon’s beams were melted down—upsetting the Romans. It spurred the pun "Quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini," or "What the barbarians didn’t do, the Barberini did," an allusion to the pope’s family name of Barberini. The 24-year-old sculptor’s project eventually proved a success, even with the Romans.

St. Peter's Baldachin (Baldacchino di San Pietro)