What Are The Main Features Of St. Peter's Square In Vatican City?

A trip to Piazza San Pietro does not disappoint. It is an idea place to stop and watch the world go by. It is considered as the centre of the world for many Catholics. The Square is packed for much of the day (especially during the Summer) of tourists, pilgrims, priests, nuns, archbishops, cardinal's, and, if you're lucky, the pope himself.

The colonnade arms engulfing the Square is a symbol welcoming the world into the lap of the Catholic Church. The obelisk in the centre of the Square is thought to be the last thing that St. Peter saw before he died at his execution. It indeed dates back to 36 AD and was moved to Piazza San Pietro in 1586 on the orders of Pope Sixtus V. The matching fountains on either side are the work of Carlo Maderno and Bernini. The task took four months and was allegedly done in silence. Of course, the focal point of the Square, is St. Peter's Basilica itself.