Papal Necropolis of St. Peter's Basilica

Overview

The papal necropolis of St. Peter's Basilica is an extensive underground complex located beneath the basilica in Vatican City. It contains chapels dedicated to various saints, as well as tombs of kings, queens, and popes from throughout history.

History

The creation of the papal necropolis dates back to 1538-1546, when Antonio da Sangallo, the chief architect of St Peter's Basilica, decided to raise the nave pavement of the basilica to increase its brightness. This new pavement was supported by a series of vaults that formed accessible rooms, which are now known as the Vatican caves.

The Vatican Caves

The Vatican Caves extend beneath a part of the central nave of the basilica, approximately three meters below the present floor, from the main altar (the papal altar) up to about half the nave. They form an underground church that occupies the space between the current floor of the basilica and that of the ancient Constantinian basilica built in the 4th century.

Description

The Vatican Caves are often mistakenly referred to as "grotes." In reality, they represent the intercapedine between the old Constantine and the present basilica. Walking through the caves is equivalent to walking through the original basilica built by Emperor Constantine, which lasted until the 16th century. As a result, the Vatican Caves do not cover the entire length of the central nave of the current basilica but only arrive up to the central nave of the Constantinian basilica.

Layout

The plant of the Vatican caves is that of a three-nave church, with branching niches, corridors, and side chapels. The layout is a result of the original construction of the Constantine basilica and the subsequent additions made during the Renaissance period.

Burials

Of the 265 popes who have been buried in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, only 149 were interred within the basilica itself for various reasons (after their beatification or the construction of a magnificent funeral monument). However, the vast majority of them are or have been buried in the Vatican caves. It is essential to note that these should not be confused with the Vatican Necropolis, which corresponds to the excavations of the cemetery containing graves from ancient times.

References

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