St. Peter’s Square in Rome

St. Peter’s Square in Rome was designed by the great Baroque architect Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) between 1656 and 1667.

St. Peter’s Square is a complete Baroque piazza. The square extends from St. Peter’s Basilica and serves as a public space where the Pope and the Catholic Church can gather large crowds for blessings and ceremonies. It is shaped like a massive theater, where services can take place under the open sky.

The square is divided into two interconnected spaces. The large, oval colonnade surrounding the square is connected to the church by two diagonally positioned wings, forming a rectangular space. The square solemnly welcomes the crowds and embraces them with its two stone arms. A clear axis through the square leads them forward toward the church.

The oval space is defined by two curved rows of columns. These columns are repeated three times in succession, emphasizing the way the square envelops its visitors. Together, the square and the church work in unison to engage the faithful—and perhaps even the doubters. Together, these two buildings create a dramatic representation of the great power of the Catholic Church.