Bernini and the Barberini in St. Peter’s Basilica

On the occasion of the exhibition Bernini and the Barberini, on view until 14 June 2026 at Palazzo Barberini, the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica and the Fabbrica di San Pietro in the Vatican are promoting, starting 6 March, a calendar of guided tours specifically conceived for this occasion.

The initiative forms part of the celebrations for the 4th Centenary of the Dedication of St. Peter’s Basilica (18 November 1626), promoted during the pontificate of Pope Urban VIII, born Maffeo Barberini. The thematic itinerary unfolds inside the Basilica, highlighting not only its historical and artistic value, but also the complex symbolic and spiritual meaning of the interventions carried out by Gian Lorenzo Bernini during the Barberini pontificate.

The tour offers a significant opportunity to delve into a season of artistic production that decisively transformed the face of Rome, through the work of one of its greatest protagonists, and to grasp the link between papal patronage, art, and spirituality in the Baroque age.

Once in the Basilica’s Reception Area, visitors will be escorted by the guide to the main entrance, from which the itinerary will proceed along the right aisle, where the Monument to Matilda of Canossa is located, and outside the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, for which the artist created the Tabernacle.

The visit will then continue toward the central nave, encountering the statue of Saint Longinus, the Baldachin, and the Chair of Saint Peter, up to the funerary monument of Urban VIII. The itinerary will conclude on the forecourt (parvis), where the guide will explain the meaning and structure of Bernini’s Colonnade, emphasizing its symbolic, iconographic, and theological value, in the ideal embrace of urban space toward the community, and of the Church toward the faithful.

For all those who wish to explore the themes of the exhibition Bernini and the Barberini through a complete cultural experience specifically designed for the public, a dedicated rate is available for holders of the exhibition ticket.

Discounts are also available for parish groups, school groups, and teachers, while free admission is guaranteed for persons with disabilities accompanied by a caregiver.

With this joint proposal, the Gallerie Nazionali di Arte Antica and the Fabbrica di San Pietro in the Vatican intend to enhance an extraordinary cultural season, highlighting the role of the Basilica as a key crossroads in the artistic, political, and urban history of Rome, as well as its religious history.

Bernini’s Baroque art thus emerges not only as an aesthetic expression, but as a visual and spatial device capable of translating into forms, images, and architecture the cultural, political, and religious forces of seventeenth-century Rome.

Bernini and the Barberini in St. Peter’s Basilica

When: Monday, Friday, and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., from 6 March to 30 June 2026

Maximum number of participants: 30

Duration: 1 hour

Languages: Italian and English

Information and bookings: https://visite.basilicasanpietro.va/it/booking/berninibarberini

Access to St. Peter’s Basilica

Once the purchase has been completed, a confirmation notice will be sent to the e-mail address provided in the booking.

The meeting point at the Basilica is located at the Tours Desk in the Reception Area, where visitors will meet the guide and the tour will begin. Access is through Via di Porta Angelica (right side of the colonnade when facing St. Peter’s Basilica), after passing the security checks of the Italian State Police.

Visitors are advised to arrive at the access checkpoint at least 45 minutes before the scheduled tour time, in order to allow security checks to be completed in due time. In addition to the exhibition ticket for “Bernini and the Barberini”, visitors must bring the confirmation of the guided-tour booking and a valid identity document, which may be requested during checks by the Vatican Authorities.

For security reasons, it is forbidden to bring bulky items (suitcases, large backpacks, oversized bags, tripods, etc.). Appropriate attire is required for a sacred place.

The Fabbrica di San Pietro reserves the right, for justified reasons, to modify or cancel the tour, in which case it will provide rescheduling or reimbursement of the amount already paid.