Saint Peter’s Dome is one of the most visible landmarks in Rome. It was designed by Michelangelo, but it was Giacomo della Porta who finished its construction in 1593, after Michelangelo‘s death. At 136 m high, Michelangelo’s dome is the tallest in the world. The total number of steps to climb is 551 and even if you take the lift, you will still have 320 steps to go.
Saint Peter’s Dome Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address: Saint Peter’s Dome is located inside the basilica (Piazza San Pietro). Opening hours: In winter (Oct. 1 – Mar. 31) the dome can be climbed from 8 AM until 5 PM, in summer months (Apr. 1 – Sep. 30) it is open from 8 AM until 6 PM. Admission: If you climb the entire 551 steps the admission cost is 6 Euros; if you take the lift as far as the terrace and climb the remaining 320 steps the cost will be 8 Euros. It is not possible to make a reservation.
History and description
Michelangelo started the work in 1546, during the papacy of Paolo III Farnese. When Michelangelo died (1564), work was halted until Giacomo della Porta, together with Domenico Fontana, started again in 1588. They used 800 workers.
Initially the idea was to decorate the inside with mosaics. This plan was cancelled when the architects realized that this way it would be impossible to finish construction before the 1600 Jubilee.
There are metal rings around the inner layer. These were added in the 18th century after cracks had appeared in the cupola’s surface. The bronze globe topping the cupola has a diameter of 3,3 meters.
The egg-shaped dome is also supported by four 18-meter-long crossbeams.