The nave of St. Peter’s is 200 yards long, 60 yards wide, and 50 yards high. Each of the huge fluted pilasters contains niches with 39 statues of saints.
St. Peter’s Basilica, the most sacred site in all Christendom, took 18 centuries to build and is built over the tomb of St. Peter who was crucified in 64 AD. It contains many great sculptures, paintings, relics, and frescoes.
The Papal Altar in the middle of the church contains the famous gilded bronze baldachin designed by Bernini between 1624 and 1632. It is 90 feet high and was made with bronze taken from the Pantheon.
Pope Pius VII (Barnaba Chiaramonti) was born in 1740, elected at Venice in 1800, and died in 1823.
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