On this day in 1506 the cornerstone of one of the Roman Catholic's most iconic and famous building was laid. On April 18th 512 years ago construction of St. Peter's Basilica began. This building has passed the test of time and remains the place where the supreme Pontiff resides but how well do we know it?
A little known fact about the church is that it is connected to the Castel Sant'Angelo by a passage called Passetto di Borgo. Its has very rarely been used but its most infamous use happened in one of the darkest hours of the Vatican City. In 1527 pope Clement VII had to use it after troops of the Holy Roman Emperor at the time, Charles V, overtook Vatican City and killed almost the entirety of the Swiss Guard at that doors of St. Peters Basilica.
Another fun fact is that contrary to popular belief St. Peter's Basilica isn't actually a cathedral or the official seat of the supreme Pontiff. That honor actually belongs to St. John Lateran church, the
mother church of the Roman Catholic church. Not only is that church technically the most important for Roman Catholics it is also the place where the Lateran agreements were signed, which created the Vatican City.
Last but not least, one of Michelangelo's most famous masterpiece, La Pietà, is located in the basilica but for some time now has been closed off to public interaction with a piece of bullet-proof glass. Why? Because, in 1972, a mentally-deranged man by the name of Laszlo Toth actually struck the statue with a hammer and broke off the arm and elbow of Mary. Luckily the work of art was restored and eventually made its way back into St. Peter's Basilica.
Those are only a few of the many secrets hidden within the walls of the Roman Catholic church's most well known location. For a building as iconic as this, it is amazing to know that there is still so much to discover. However, throughout the years one question has remained unanswered: is this truly the location where Saint-Peter was buried?
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| St. Peter's Basilica |
A little known fact about the church is that it is connected to the Castel Sant'Angelo by a passage called Passetto di Borgo. Its has very rarely been used but its most infamous use happened in one of the darkest hours of the Vatican City. In 1527 pope Clement VII had to use it after troops of the Holy Roman Emperor at the time, Charles V, overtook Vatican City and killed almost the entirety of the Swiss Guard at that doors of St. Peters Basilica.
Another fun fact is that contrary to popular belief St. Peter's Basilica isn't actually a cathedral or the official seat of the supreme Pontiff. That honor actually belongs to St. John Lateran church, the
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| La Pietà |
Last but not least, one of Michelangelo's most famous masterpiece, La Pietà, is located in the basilica but for some time now has been closed off to public interaction with a piece of bullet-proof glass. Why? Because, in 1972, a mentally-deranged man by the name of Laszlo Toth actually struck the statue with a hammer and broke off the arm and elbow of Mary. Luckily the work of art was restored and eventually made its way back into St. Peter's Basilica.
Those are only a few of the many secrets hidden within the walls of the Roman Catholic church's most well known location. For a building as iconic as this, it is amazing to know that there is still so much to discover. However, throughout the years one question has remained unanswered: is this truly the location where Saint-Peter was buried?
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