St.Peter’s Square, Vatican City

St. Peter’s Square

St. Peter’s square stands outside St. Peter’s Basillica in the Vatican City (the Papal enclave in Rome).   In 500 AD Rome was sacked and burned by the Huns and Visigoths who dealt the Western Empire its final blow.  The Papacy then surged to power with Pope Leo I (440-441) and Pope Gregory playing leading roles in bringing Rome to greatness.  After Pope Boniface VIII (1300s) Popes became so powerful that they crowned Emperors, Kings and Feudal princes.  They also became patrons of the arts.  The Renaissance flourished in Rome and Pope Julius II (1503-1513) started building St Peter’s Basilica and commissioned Michelangelo to paint the Sistene Chapel.  Gian Lorenzo Bernini redesigned the piazza in front of the Basilica from 1656 to 1667 with a view to giving the greatest number of people a view of the Pope.  An Egyptian obelisk precedes Bernini’s work and stands in the center of the square.  It is about 4400 years old and was originally from Heliopolis, Egypt.  Tuscan Collonades frame the piazza.  This picture is taken from the Basillica and St. Peter’s square  is regarded as a magnificent example of Baroque Theatre.