Rodney Campbell's Blog

St. Peter’s is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world.

Michelangelo’s Dome

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/25 sec at f/4, ISO 100

In this city of outstanding churches, none can hold a candle to St Peter’s (Basilica di San Pietro), Italy’s largest, richest and most spectacular basilica. Built atop an earlier 4th-century church, it was consecrated in 1626 after 120 years’ construction. Its lavish interior contains many spectacular works of art, including three of Italy’s most celebrated masterpieces: Michelangelo’s Pietà, his soaring dome, and Bernini’s 29m-high baldachin over the papal altar.

The Main Altar

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/13 sec at f/4, ISO 160

St Peter’s Basilica is breathtakingly gigantic – it can apparently accomodate 20,000 people. It measures 190m (624ft) long and the central nave is 46m (150ft) tall. The dome stands 136m (447ft) tall.

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/30 sec at f/4, ISO 100

One of the most impressive parts of the Basilica is its incredible dome. Its design was started by Michelangelo and continued by Giacomo Della Porta. Carlo Maderno finished the dome in 1614. This dome has served as inspiration for many other cathedrals and buildings, for example, the Capitol in Washington and St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

The Dome Within

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/15 sec at f/4, ISO 100

St Peter’s Basilica is the other must see attraction in the Vatican. It has been considered the largest church ever built and it remains one of the holiest sites in Christendom.

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/13 sec at f/4, ISO 250

For visitors going to the Vatican Museums first like we did, I have a huge tip for you. When you are in the Sistene Chapel and are about to leave do NOT exit via the normal door (the one on the left) but rather attach yourselves to the tail of a tour group exiting via the (tour group only) door in the back right.

This exit takes you right to the entrance into St Peter’s rather than having to go back out where you entered the Vatican Museum and having to walk around the outside wall of the Vatican city and join the enormous queue to enter via St Peter’s square. You’ve probably just saved at least an hour of your life.

St Peter’s Entrance

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/160 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

The view of St Peter’s square from ground level (the front steps of the basilica) before heading inside.

St. Peter’s Square

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/2000 sec at f/11, ISO 100

The Nave

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/30 sec at f/4, ISO 100

The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescos that decorate the interior, and most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment by Michelangelo.

Sistine Chapel

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/13 sec at f/4, ISO 400

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Under the patronage of Pope Julius II, between 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo painted the chapel’s ceiling, a project which changed the course of Western art and is regarded as one of the major artistic accomplishments of human civilisation. Michelangelo returned between 1535 and 1541 and painted The Last Judgment for Popes Clement VII and Paul III.

Sistine

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/13 sec at f/4, ISO 360

The two attractions that most visitors come to see within the Vatican City are the Vatican Museums & St Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City is just to the north of the city centre of Rome – indeed the Vatican is it’s own (small) country (the smallest in the world).

Apollo

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 230 mm, 1/250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 2500

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Again I’d booked my tickets online in advance before leaving Australia which allowed us to skip the absolutely massive line outside. We arrived at opening time (9AM) and the queue was already hundreds of metres long.

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/30 sec at f/5.6, ISO 220

Inside the Vatican Museum is an enormous ornate hallway running the length of the museum hosting the galleries of Candelabra, Tapestries & Maps.

The Map Gallery

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/30 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

The Map Gallery

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/30 sec at f/5.6, ISO 125

Just before the Sistine Chapel there’s an outside walkway (many stories up) with a view over the inner courtyard of the building – used as a parking lot for the Vatican workforce.

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/50 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Our special guided tour allowed us to go right up to the just recently opened Fourth and Fifth Rings of the Colosseum.

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

The Fourth Ring

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/50 sec at f/8, ISO 100 x 9 Frames

The spectacular 360º views from up on the higher levels were fantastic and the lack of crowds a very welcome change. It also gave me the opportunity to switch lenses to the insanely ultrawide Laowa 13mm for both some single shots as well as some very wide stitched panoramas.

Open Arena

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/160 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

The Fifth Ring

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/160 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100 x 5 Frames

The High View

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/30 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Arches

NIKON D750 + 13.0 mm f/2.8 @ 13 mm, 1/400 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100