Postcards from Rome: Rome’s Eighth Hill

Posted by Angela Nickerson on May 30, 2008
Filed under: Dispatches, Rome

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Michelangelo designed the dome and the Lantern for St. Peter’s – at the time the tallest dome ever built over the largest church ever built. Tickets for the Lantern are 6 € each, and an elevator takes you to the drum – the first layer where the dome rises out of the basilica. There you can walk around the inside of the dome, just above the words: “You are Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my church” (in Latin). Wander around on the roof where there is a small café and a gift shop. The saints topping Bernini’s arms on the piazza look enormous from here – because they are!

View from Top of St. Peters Dome in Rome
View from Top of St. Peters Dome © Angela Nickerson

The rest of the way, though, is on foot: 320 steps. The staircase is windy and teeny tiny between the two layers of the dome. The walls – the layers of the dome – gradually start to lean inward which can be disconcerting and make it hard to balance.

Finally at the top, climbers have mounted what is called the 8th hill of Rome. The view is extraordinary! The Pantheon, the Monument to Vittorio Emmanuel, Castel Sant’Angelo, the bridges across the Tiber are all visible … and all of the Vatican’s nooks and crannies, too. It is remarkable.

St. Peters basilica in Rome
St. Peters Basilica © Angela Nickerson

Michelangelo did not live to see his dome completed, but it has been hailed as an architectural marvel. When he died in 1564 workers had finished the drum, and Michelangelo had supplied wine and food for a celebration marking the occasion.

Roman Rule of the Day

Not only can you ascend to St. Peter’s heights, but you can also descend to its depths. The Vatican offers tours of the scavi, or excavations, underneath the basilica. Tours must be arranged 6-8 weeks in advance through the Vatican’s Scavi office and must be paid for in advance. Check the Vatican’s website for more details.

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Angela K. Nickerson is a freelance writer and tour escort. Her first book, A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome (Roaring Forties Press, 2008) combines her great passions -- travel, art, history, and Italy – in one volume. She can be reached through her website: www.aknickerson.net or her blog: Just Go!.



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Comments

Kellie
June 30th, 2008 - 5:45 am

Beautiful pictures. Rome really looks like a great place to stay. So different to the usual holiday. I will be going, once saved!


Cyprus chick
July 4th, 2008 - 7:21 am

Kellie, i agree, looks beautiful, i am from Cyprus which is also a beutiful country, however Rome looks so historic.


Cyprus chick
July 14th, 2008 - 6:40 am

Really smashing pictures, shows the real beauty.


kellie
July 14th, 2008 - 6:41 am

Has anyone been here? can anyone tell me a bit more?