This is a scenic, 45 minute walking tour along the Tiber River to reach St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. This is a great, early morning stroll. Alternatively, you can start this tour at the end of the Encircle Rome – One travel guide.
This is a scenic, 45 minute walking tour along the Tiber River to reach St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. This is a great, early morning stroll. Alternatively, you can start this tour at the end of the Encircle Rome – One travel guide.
The Tiber River flows for over 250 miles. The most beautiful section can be enjoyed an hour or so after sunrise when golden light bathes the western bank. Start your morning near the bridge called Pointe Cavour. Then walk south along the tree-lined path on the eastern side in order to fully appreciate the spectacular scenery. Take time to greet the locals who are exercising their dogs. This makes a perfect 45 minute stroll toward Vatican City. Your first sight is the Catholic church named Chiesa del Sacro Cuore del Suffragio.
Ponte Cavour 00186 Roma RM, Italy
The Church of the Sacred Heart of the Suffrage is often called the Little Milan Cathedral thanks to its similar Neo-gothic design. Surrounding its slender bell tower are six elegant spires. The façade is also graced with nineteen statues of saints. This Roman Catholic church was built in 1917 on the west bank of the Tiber River. Inside you will also find the small Museum of the Souls of Purgatory.
Lungotevere Prati, 12, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
The Ponte Umberto is a three-arched stone bridge stretching 344 feet over the River Tiber. It was designed by Angelo Vescovali and named after Italy’s Umberto I. The king was present during the opening ceremony in 1895. On the right is the Palace of Justice.
Piazza dei Tribunali 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Corte Suprema di Cassazione, or the Supreme Court of Cassation, is housed in the Palace of Justice. This view of Palazzo di Giustizia from Ponte Umberto I gives you a sense of its expansive width of 580 feet. This Renaissance and Baroque style structure was designed by Guglielmo Calderini. Italians call it Palazzaccio or the Bad Palace for three reasons: the construction scandal that erupted soon after its completion in 1910; their dislike for its complicated façade; and because of the powers of the court.
Piazza dei Tribunali 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Most depictions of Lady Justice portray her with a blindfold and holding a double-edged sword in the right hand and scales dangling from the left. However, beneath the central arch on the Palace of Justice’s facade in this sculpture of lustitia. This is Latin for Justice. The statue portrays the Roman goddess with the sword but holding a book of law on the left. Look closely and you will also see two images of the she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus, the twins who founded Rome. Typically, this iconic Roman image shows the infants together. Yet here they are apart, perhaps alluding to their quarrel and the subsequent murder of Remus.
Piazza dei Tribunali 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Driving this four-horse chariot on top of the Palace of Justice is Victoria, the goddess of victory. The bronze ensemble was created by Ettore Ximenes in 1926. During Roman antiquity, chariot races were extremely popular. However, this winged deity was mostly associated with success during battle. A temple in her honor was built nearby on Palatine Hill.
Piazza dei Tribunali 00193 Roma RM, Italy
When you reach this point on your river walk, stop a moment to fully appreciate the beauty of Ponte Sant’Angelo. The five-arch marble bridge was commissioned by Emperor Hadrian early in the 2nd century to connect the ancient city of Rome to his mausoleum on the right. It is called Castel Sant’Angelo or the Castle of the Holy Angel. This bridge is not only one of the most stunning in Roma but also all of Europe.
Lungotevere Castello, 50, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
The Ponte Sant’Angelo is also called the Bridge of Angels because of the 10 stunning sculptures flanking its 443 foot length. These statues were commissioned in 1669 and designed by Gian Bernini. Each one depicts a scene from the persecution and crucifixion of Christ. The Angel with the Whips is the second in the series. It was sculpted by Lazzaro Morelii. Look closely and you will catch your first glimpse of the dome atop St. Peter’s Basilica.
Ponte Sant’Angelo in Rome, Italy
Roman Emperor Hadrian, who ruled from 76 to 138 AD, commissioned this enormous circular structure along the Tiber River to be his mausoleum. He died a year before it was completed but his ashes were interred here in 139 AD. Over the centuries, Castel Sant’Angelo has served as a military fortress, a citadel for popes and a prison. Since 1901, it has been the Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo. Notice the bronze statue on top. According to folklore, Archangel Michael appeared over the castle in 590 AD during a procession led by Pope Saint Gregory. This apparition signified the end of the bubonic plague that was devastating Rome.
Lungotevere Castello, 50, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II is the third and youngest bridge to admire during your morning stroll to the Vatican. When finished in 1911, it was named after Victor Emmanuel II. He established the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. The king’s reign continued until his death in 1878 when the Padre della Patria (Father of the Fatherland) was buried in the Parthenon. You will notice St. Peter’s is looming ever larger. This is the spot where you want to cross over to the west bank of the Tiber River.
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II 00186 Roma RM, Italy
As you enter the east side of the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II at Piazza Paoli, you will be greeted by two of four Winged Victories. This one is shown holding a bouquet of flowers and a broken chain. These enormous bronze statues of the Roman goddess Victoria pay tribute to the bridge’s namesake, King Victor Emmanuel II. He was victorious in his quest to unify Italy during a political movement called Risorgimento and during the Second Italian Independence War of 1859.
Piazza Pasquale Paoli 00186 Roma RM, Italy
As you walk along the 354 feet of the Ponte Vittorio, you will encounter four allegorical sculptures. They were carved from travertine marble in 1911. They symbolize Oppression Conquered, Loyalty to the State, Freedom and the Unification of Italy. The bridge was designed by Ennio De Rossi and opened on the 50th anniversary of Italy’s unification. In the background is the Mausoleum of Hadrian named Castel Sant’Angelo.
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Once you cross over to the Tiber’s west bank, walk straight until you reach Via della Concilazione and take a left. Positioned at the end of this third of a mile boulevard is your first magnificent glimpse of St. Peter’s Basilica. If your morning timing is right, it should be glowing in the sunshine. You will probably quicken your pace because a full view is blocked by buildings until you reach Piazza Pio XII. A few more steps are needed before you technically leave Italy and enter the independent city-state of Vatican City. It is the world’s smallest country by size (110 acres) and population (less than 850 people).
Via della Conciliazione 57, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
It is exhilarating to enter St. Peter’s Square for the first time. You will stare in awe at St. Peter’s Basilica. The façade stretches 730 feet across and 448 feet tall. This qualifies as the largest church in the world. Among the architects who designed this iconic home to Christianity was Michelangelo. As you marvel at the ornate Renaissance features, you begin to understand why construction of Basilica Sancti Petri required 120 years (1506 until 1626). It is humbling to know you are standing on the spot where the Apostle Simon was crucified in 64 AD. Inside is Saint Peter’s tomb.
St. Peter's Basilica Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
The façade of St. Peter’s Basilica and the grand colonnade surrounding the Piazza di San Pietro are filled with historic ornamentation. An example is this early version of the Vatican City State Seal. On top is the papal tiara, the crown worn by the pope. Below it are two crossed keys which represent the keys to Heaven given to Saint Peter by Christ. Also notice the inscription “Alexander VII PM.” This refers to Pope Alexander VII. During his papacy from 1655 until 1667, he commissioned extensive urban development throughout Rome. Many of those architectural projects remain as city landmarks.
St. Peter's Basilica Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
Flanking both sides of St. Peter’s Basilica are two towers. On top is the coat of arms for the city-state of Vatican City. Beneath it is a clock with Roman numerals held by two angels. Then you will notice the bells. The oldest was cast in 1288.
St. Peter's Basilica Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
The Romans are credited with creating the dome as a major architectural feature during the first century BC. However, they did not appear in their present form until the mid-15th century. Since then, over 70 churches in Rome have been crowned with a dome. They give the city a unique and beautiful skyline. Towering over all of them is the 448 foot dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. It was redesigned in the mid-16th century by Michelangelo. He specified two layers of bricks surrounded by 16 ribs of stone. Beneath the 63 foot lantern is a very impressive diameter of 136 feet. No wonder it has been copied so often but never duplicated.
St. Peter's Basilica Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
Embracing the Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter’s Square) are two oval shaped colonnades with nearly 300 Tuscan order columns each with an Ionic frieze on top. Standing tall along the balusters, which peak at 64 feet, are 140 statues of saints and martyrs. It took Lazzaro Morelli over a decade to carve half of the 96 original sculptures. Shown here are the male saints lining the south colonnade. This grand architectural ensemble was commissioned by Pope Alexander VII. The Baroque style was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Construction started in 1656 and was finished in 1667.
St. Peter's Basilica Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
Before you leave St. Peter’s Square to attend mass inside the Major Basilica, or to tour the Vatican Museums and/or Sistine Chapel, take one last admiring look at St. Peter’s Basilica. Regardless of your religious affiliation, you can’t help being impressed with one of the most beautiful buildings ever constructed. On the left is a water fountain created in 1613 by Maderno.
St. Peter's Basilica Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
In the early 16th century, Cardinal Lorenzo Pucci commissioned a trio of architects including Michelangelo to construct Palazzo Pucci. In 1567, it became the Palace of the Holy Office. The historical structure houses the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The mission of CDF is to defend the Catholic doctrine. On the balcony is the coat of arms for Pope Francis. The motto Miserando atque eligendo is Latin for “by having mercy, by choosing him.” Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio is located near St. Peter’s Basilica yet outside the boundary of Vatican City.
Piazza del Sant'uffizio, 11, 00193 Roma RM, Italy