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Wondering if you should climb St Peters Dome?
Anyone can do it! Here's how:
If you visit St Peters Basilica, one option once inside is to climb Michelangelo's dome (cupola.)
On this page, you'll find everything you need to know about St Peter's dome including:
Going up inside St Peter's dome is a fantastic, extraordinary experience.
You get to see St Peter's basilica in a whole new way. Not to mention the stunning view you get of Saint Peter's square below.
Most people simply don't get to it, perhaps for lack of time, not knowing it's there, or fear it will be too strenuous.
I advise you to make time, and to at least visit the dome to the first level, which almost anyone can do.
Fun fact
Did you know nearly everything inside St Peters basilica that looks like a painting is actually a mosaic?
Look closely at the above photo!
Don't let the word "climbing" throw you off!
There are two parts to climbing St Peters dome: You can take the (231) stairs or the lift/elevator to the first level, and wind up on the inside of Michelangelo's dome.
This is so special, because you will be looking down on the inside of St Peters basilica from above, and, if you are lucky, you may hear some singing floating up to reach you. When that happens, it's just magical!
From here, you can see right up close the mosaics that make up the dome's design.
At this level, you can also walk out onto the roof of the basilica.
Here, you can go to the front and check out Jesus and the apostles.
These are the statues you see on the roof of the basilica when you look at it from the square.
There is also a bathroom, a very small refreshment stand, and a gift shop.
Visiting St Peters dome in a Wheelchair
There is an elevator to the roof so if you are in a wheelchair, you can reach the first level.
There is a restriction however.
The elevator opens out onto the roof. From here you can see the dome up close, but from the outside; move towards the front of the basilica and see this side view of the apostles (above); visit the restroom, snack bar and gift-shop.)
To reach the inside of the dome, even at this level first level, there is a small staircase.
So depending on your level of immobility, you may not be able to access the inside of the dome.
As I said, there are two parts of a visit to the cupola, or Saint Peter basilica dome.
The first part, above, can be reached by elevator (and a small staircase.)
So if you take the elevator, you bypass 231 steps, and it's NOT strenuous, exhausting or claustrophobic.
The second part is optional.
It means taking the next 320 stairs to the tippy top.
Not only is there not an elevator, but you will find a narrow single-file staircase that slowly spirals up, with the roof sort of slanting in towards you as you go.
And at the very end, as it gets narrower and narrower, you will have a corkscrew staircase, with a rope to hang onto! Yes! You read that right!
It is definitely claustrophobic.
But, there are windows along the way so you will not feel totally closed in.
And the stairs to go down are in another part so you will not run into people on your way up.
And, hey, if I can do it, anyone can do it!
Want to experience the majestic St. Peter's Basilica from the dome to the underground grottoes?
The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome
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In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, and much more.
And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.
Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers.
The dome is open daily, year-round.
If you have a choice, you might choose Christmas-time, late afternoon, so you can watch the sunset from there, and get this shot with the shimmering Christmas tree in Saint Peter's Square below:
Other than winter, you usually won't get a chance to see this view at sunset or by night.
As for time of day, the basilica was purposefully made to face east, which means the sun rises in front of it.
I like to climb St Peters dome first thing in the morning, especially in high season, because there is no line, and there are no crowds. But that does mean a washed out photo.
So if you want a prettier photo, you will need to visit St Peters dome later in the day. But usually that means more people, and longer lines.
But don't worry it's beautiful any time!
For most visitors to Rome, a visit to the Vatican means seeing the Vatican Museums (where the Sistine Chapel is), and also St Peters Basilica. This takes about 3-5 hours, depending on the kind of visit you want.
Climbing the dome takes and additional half hour to an hour (including time spent at the top.)
As for when to climb the dome during your visit, I suggest the following:
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The entrance to St Peter's dome is to the right of the entrance to St Peter's basilica.
It's also one of the first things you will see once you get through security in the square.
It's also just outside the Vatican Museums if you exit the Sistine Chapel to the right as part of a tour and take the shortcut to the basilica.
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There is no way to JUST visit St Peters dome.
You must get to the entrance either via the security lines in front of St Peters Basilica, or by visiting the Vatican Museums as part of a tour.
See the graphic above for where the ticket office is.
So you will want to skip the line either to the Vatican Museums, or to St Peters Basilica.
However, in either case, there is not actually a skip-the-line ticket just for the dome.
The lines/wait time will depend simply on what time of day and what time of year you come.
Obviously, the lines will be longest in high season and in the middle of the day.
Note also there are two lines, one for taking the lift/elevator partway, and the other for taking the stairs.
As you might imagine, the line for taking the lift will be longer and slower.
My number one tip for skipping the lines and avoiding the crowds!
Come to St Peters Basilica at 7am when it opens.
No lines, no waiting, no crowds.
Entry to the dome opens at 7:30 or 8am (this depends on who I ask), and you can go then, with nobody in front of you or behind you.
Quiet time!
Enjoy!
Fun facts about the dome of St. Peter's Basilica:
From St Peter's Square, you can barely see Michelangelo's dome because of the imposing facade.
Even just standing farther back from the basilica, almost outside the square, you start to get a better sense of the beauty of the dome.
Some of the best views of the dome of Saint Peter's basilica are from Rome's bridges. Then you can really see just how beautiful, and enormous, Michelangelo's dome is!
One of my favorite books of all time is Irving Stone's classic, The Agony and the Ectasy.
It's a biographical novel all about Michelangelo Buonarotti's life. I was so in love with this book that while I was reading it, I stopped half-way and went back to the beginning to start it again.
I just wanted to stay in Michelangelo's world a bit longer and absorb all I could of his passion and his genius.
Entry to Saint Peter's basilica is free.
But if you want to climb the dome, you must pay.
It costs 8 Euros to climb via the stairs, and 10 Euros to take the lift/elevator.
There are NO discounts or passes for anyone.
You cannot use the Roma Pass, Omnia Pass, Student ID, or any other pass to get a discount.
Those times are a bit arbitrary.
This is because it's up to the guards to decide when to start shooing people away and when to get serious about "everyone out!" (And even the opening time sort of depends on when the guards are ready.)
Last entry could be the stated closing time, or it could be around half hour before the stated closing time, depending on how long the lines are.
And to climb via the stairs, it's even earlier than that.
So give yourself a little leeway if you don't want to miss visiting St Peters dome.
Bottom line - try to make sure you get to the ticket counter at least an hour before the stated closing time so you are not rushed.
To climb St Peters dome make sure you are dressed properly.
And by dressed properly I mean two things:
A few more things to bring/not bring:
Looking for a Brief History of the Vatican? Visit my page here.
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