PATRICK ANSWERS: St. Peter’s Square is free, open, and holds one of the best architectural tricks in Rome. Find the circular stone marker on the pavement and stand on it - Bernini’s four-deep colonnade collapses into a single row. The 4,000-year-old obelisk was exorcised before being “baptised” with a cross. Most visitors walk straight through without seeing any of this.
The square most visitors walk through without seeing
St. Peter’s Square is the Vatican’s front door, and most visitors treat it like an airport terminal - something to cross on the way to the real attraction. This is a mistake. The square itself is one of the great architectural achievements of the Baroque period, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1656 and 1667 as an outdoor church that could embrace the faithful.
The elliptical colonnade contains 284 columns and 88 pilasters arranged in four rows, topped by 140 statues of saints. The metaphor is deliberate: the arms of the Church reaching out to gather the world. It works. When you stand at the centre of the square and look toward the basilica, the colonnade creates a sense of enclosure and welcome that no photograph captures.
The perspective trick
Find one of the two circular stone markers set into the pavement, positioned between the obelisk and the two fountains. Stand on it and look at the colonnade. Bernini’s four-deep rows of columns align into what appears to be a single row - the columns behind disappear completely. This is a Baroque optical illusion designed to demonstrate the unity and order of the Church’s embrace. Move two steps off the marker and the illusion dissolves into four visible rows again.
This is the detail most visitors miss, and it takes ten seconds to experience.
The obelisk
The 25-metre Egyptian obelisk at the centre predates Christianity by roughly two millennia. Carved in Heliopolis, brought to Rome by Caligula, it originally stood in Nero’s Circus on the Vatican Hill - the same circus where tradition holds St. Peter was martyred. In 1586, Pope Sixtus V ordered it moved to the centre of the square. The operation required 900 men, 75 horses, and an engineering feat that took months. Before raising it, Sixtus had the obelisk formally exorcised to cleanse it of pagan associations, then topped it with a cross and papal coat of arms. For more on this and other hidden Vatican symbols, see our secrets guide.
Security entrances and how the square fits your day
The square itself requires no ticket or security screening. You can walk in freely from Via della Conciliazione at any hour. Security screening applies only when entering St. Peter’s Basilica.
Three security entrances serve the basilica: the main entrance (facing Via della Conciliazione, most congested, no shade), the left colonnade entrance (faster, shaded, recommended), and the right entrance (wheelchair ramp, mobility access). For timing, see our opening hours guide.
On Wednesdays, the square hosts papal audiences from approximately 8:45 AM to 12:30 PM, which restricts tourist access. On Sundays at noon, the Pope appears at his window for the Angelus prayer - no ticket needed, smaller crowds than the Wednesday audience.
Patrick’s Tips:
- Find the circular stone marker and try Bernini’s perspective trick - it takes 10 seconds and is the best free experience at the Vatican
- Use the left colonnade entrance for the basilica - faster and shaded
- The square is best experienced either very early (7:00 AM, near-empty) or at dusk (golden light on the facade)
- On Wednesdays, papal audiences restrict access until early afternoon
- The obelisk’s Latin inscription on the plinth declares it “purified” - worth reading if you can get close
Patrick’s Pick: If you want the full story of the square, the basilica, and the dome in one go, the St. Peter’s Basilica and Dome Climb Tour starts in the square with context about Bernini’s design before taking you inside.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is St. Peter's Square free to visit?
- Yes, always. The square is open public space with no ticket or security screening required just to enter it. Security screening only applies when entering the basilica.
- What is the perspective trick in St. Peter's Square?
- Stand on one of the two circular stone markers set into the pavement between the obelisk and the fountains. From these points, Bernini's four-deep colonnade aligns into what appears to be a single row of columns - a Baroque optical illusion.
- How old is the obelisk in St. Peter's Square?
- Approximately 4,000 years old. It was carved in Heliopolis, Egypt, brought to Rome by Emperor Caligula, and moved to its current position in 1586 by Pope Sixtus V.