Some Curiosities Of St. Peter’s Basilica

It is one of the most visited and appreciated monuments in Rome. A magnificent temple from all points of view. But this time we want to reveal some secrets and curiosities of St. Peter’s Basilica. Are you staying with us to meet them?

This basilica is famous for being the most imposing of Christian temples, almost 200 meters long and 44.5 meters high. It is one of the four major basilicas in Rome and is a must-see in the city, whether you are Catholic or not. Are you curious to know other curiosities of St. Peter’s Basilica ? Here we go!

Curiosities of St. Peter’s Basilica: the baldachin

The canopy is the point that attracts the most attention inside the basilica. Its measurements are spectacular: it is 28 meters high, like a ten-story building! An impressive baroque structure supported by four 20-meter Solomonic columns.  And you should pay close attention, because there are really curious elements.

It’s not just Bernini’s

Although this colossal work has always been attributed to Bernini, he was not the only one who participated in it. When Pope Urban VIII commissioned him to do this work, Bernini was only 25 years old, which made him feel inexperienced and insufficiently qualified to carry out such a work.

It is true that he was a sublime sculptor, but not so much as an architect, so he chose to call Borromini, who was his rival all his life. His father Pietro and his brother Luigi were also part of this project.

The Pantheon and its bronze

In ancient times it was common to ‘borrow’ materials such as marble or stones from some buildings to build others. And this is what was done in this basilica. Bronzes from the Pantheon of Agrippa were recycled and used to make it, specifically the columns of the baldachin.

However, the idea was not well received by some Romans, who invented the saying:  Quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini.  This, literally translated, means: “What the barbarians have not done, the Barberini have done.”

Bees and suns

Anyone who visits it cannot help but wonder why so many bees and suns decorate the walls and the canopy. Inside or out, they are everywhere. You won’t need to pay much attention to spot them.

Well, this has a reason. The bees and the suns were the symbol of the Barberini family, to which Pope Urban VIII belonged, who, as we noted, was the one who commissioned Bernini to design the basilica. And next to them, you will see bay leaves, which could allude to the poetic talent of the pope himself.

There is a pregnant woman

One of the curiosities of St. Peter’s Basilica that can also be seen on the baldachin  is that the cycle of a pregnant woman is represented, from conception until she gives birth. Under each column there are eight marble friezes and, although they look the same, they are not, each representing the cycle of pregnancy.

Around this there are various speculations. Some say that she is the pope’s niece, who had a difficult pregnancy. Others believe that they are Masonic messages, although the most accepted is the option of believing that Bernini, who was a very believer, wanted to represent Mother Church.

Curiosities of St. Peter’s Basilica: its sculptures

The Pietà by Michelangelo is the great work that can be admired in the basilica, but there are other curious sculptural groups. For example, right in front of it there is a monument dedicated to Cristina of Sweden, a queen who abdicated, converted to Catholicism and went to live in Rome, where she made a great friendship with Bernini.

On the other hand, in the pilasters of the central nave there are represented seven Spanish saints, among them Santa Teresa, San Ignacio de Loyola or San José de Calasanz.

The tomb of Saint Peter

Another of the curiosities of St. Peter’s Basilica has to do with the apostle and his tomb. In the Vatican Grottoes there is an urn that can make you think that it holds the relics of Saint Peter. It is not like that, what it keeps are some palliums that are used in the appointment of new archbishops. The tomb is on a lower level, in the primitive basilica.

As you can see, each great monument has its secrets and things that few know. These are just some of the curiosities of St. Peter’s Basilica, there are others, but nothing like discovering them for yourself on a visit to this magnificent temple.