The basilica is considered one of the largest and most important churches in the world, and is one of the symbols of the power and glory of the Catholic Church. Before the current St. Peter's Basilica stood, there was an old church known as Old St. Peter's Basilica. The church was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine, but over time, the building fell into disrepair and lacked adequate space to serve the growing congregation. Therefore, Pope Julius II decided to build a larger and more magnificent church to replace the old church.

Construction of the new St. Peter's Basilica began in 1506 and involved many of the famous architects of the time, including Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This church has a very beautiful and complex design, including the large dome which is one of the characteristics of Roman architecture.

However, the process of building the new St. Peter's Basilica did not go smoothly. There were many technical and financial problems that caused the project to stall several times over the years. In addition, the enormous construction costs caused the Pope and the Catholic Church to spend a lot of money on this project, even to the point where it threatened the Church's own finances.

Despite experiencing many obstacles, construction of St. Peter's Basilica was finally completed in 1626. This church has become very important for the Catholic Church, and becomes a pilgrimage destination for millions of people from all over the world every year.

In addition to these four relics of the early church, the basilica and the grottos below hold the bodies or relics of numerous saints and popes. About 90 popes are buried in the papal tombs.

Inside St. Peter's Basilica is a multitude of intricate structures and artworks that add to its overall magnificence. Other than its main highlights like the Dome, St. Peter's Tomb, and the Baldacchino, the basilica holds so much more for the beholder including chapels, altars, monuments, tombs, and more.

Today, St. Peter's Basilica remains one of the largest and most important buildings in the world, and a symbol of the power and glory of the Catholic Church. The church also has many outstanding works of art and architecture, including Michelangelo's Pietà statue and Bernini's baldakijn altar.

The construction of the new St. Peter's Basilica on April 18, 1506 was a historic moment in church and architectural history, and its existence remains an inspiration to people around the world.

Take the red line of the metro from Roma Termini. Alight at the Ottaviano-S. Pietro station. From here, a quick 10-minute walk will take you to St. Peter's Basilica. The Cipro Station, on the same line, is also located in close proximity to the basilica.

The Vatican is located in the western city of Rome with a total area of ​​44 hectares. It is 1,045 meters long and 850 meters wide and is bounded by high walls. Apart from these areas, there are also various areas and buildings located within Italian territory which are an integral part of the Vatican, called "extraterritorial areas" which cover an area of ​​700,000 square meters.

The Vatican's population consists of a variety of nationalities, with the majority being Italian citizens. They also obtained Vatican citizenship, but based on "permanent residence" from the Italian Government as regulated in the Lateran Agreement. Meanwhile, the total population of the Vatican is around 1,000 people and live in this country because of work and position.

The Pope is the Head of State of Vatican City and the Head of Government of the Holy See. The highest authority in the Vatican is a monarchy which is elected absolutely, theocratic and patrimonial and has full power in legislative, executive and judicial matters. In carrying out his duties as Head of State, the Pope is assisted by the Pontifical Commission of the State of Vatican City, which represents the Holy Father in carrying out the civil government of the Vatican State in accordance with a special mandate from the Pope.

In accordance with the agreement with the Italian Government, the currency valid in Italy is also valid in the Vatican. Since 2002, the Euro currency has been used. However, the Vatican prints coins as souvenirs. Apart from that, the language used daily is Italian. In celebrating Holy Mass, apart from Italian, Latin is also used. For diplomatic correspondence, English and French are used.