It was here in the gigantic complex of the Neronian circle with its palaces, temples and gardens that the execution and burial of one of the most important Apostles of Christ took place. A long veneration of this sacred place soon began, so much so that while the grandiose Roman buildings fell to ruin, a Christian necropolis was built and successively, in the 4th century, Emperor Constantine decided to erect the first basilica in honour of the Saint.
The square is outlined by a monumental colonnade by Bernini, its open arms symbolically welcoming the world into the Catholic Church. Between the obelisk and each fountain is a circular stone that marks the focal points of an ellipse. If you stand on one of these points, the two rows columns of the colonnade line up perfectly and appear to be just a single row.
On top of the colonnade are 140 statues of saints, crafted by a number of sculptors between 1662 and 1703. To the right of the southern gate of the colonnade is St. Macrina, grandmother of the Cappadocian fathers, followed by some founders of religious orders: St. Dominic, St. Francis, St. Bernard, St. Benedict, and St. Ignatius of Loyola. Some of the apostles are at the far end of the colonnade, outside the square and down the street: look for Paul and John on the south side (on the left as you walk to the square).
This is how the Church, the physical and spiritual centre of Christianity was born. The first basilica was an immense and magnificent building, which guarded treasures of art and gold. It appears that the pilgrims of those times were greatly overwhelmed before such great marvels. Among the many works of art is the famous Navicella mosaic by Giotto, of which today, only a copy is still conserved in the portico.
Thousands of years later, Constantine's Basilica began to show the first signs of collapse. At the dawn of the 15th century, Pope Nicholas V and the architect, Bernardo Rossellino set to work on what would be one of the most famous and demanding building sites of the Renaissance; the so-called "Brickworks of St. Peter"
