Pétros ení

Pétros ení: A digital experience of Saint Peter’s Basilica

Fabbrica di San Pietro | Microsoft | Iconem | DADADA studio

“Pétros ení” (“Peter is here”) is an immersive exhibition about the apostle and the world’s largest Christian basilica. A journey that weaves together spirituality, art, and technology in an unprecedented synthesis of past and present.

In collaboration with Microsoft and Iconem, Saint Peter’s Basilica has been digitized in 3D through over 400,000 photographs, creating a faithful “digital twin.” This model allows visitors to virtually explore the Basilica in a new way, through a journey that begins over two thousand years ago.

The exhibition route unfolds within historic spaces of the Basilica, specifically restored for the occasion.

The visit begins in the “Ventagli” (Fans) room, where the path is organized on two levels.

On one side, it reveals the origins of the Basilica and its reconstruction around Peter’s burial site. On the other, it guides the visitor in a digital exploration of the modern Basilica, suspended between heaven and earth: from the saints who welcome and protect us from the heights of the colonnade, to the majestic dome rising toward the sky, and finally to the altar erected above Saint Peter’s tomb.

In the "Octagonal Rooms," the journey moves through the main stages of Peter's life up to his martyrdom. The apostle's story intertwines with that of the basilica, which is first shown in a video made entirely with computer graphics and then in its current configuration, through astonishing views realized with the latest technologies.

“Pétros ení” is a temporal and spiritual journey centered on the figure of Saint Peter and the relevance of his testimony, which lives on in the Basilica’s history and its vibrant community.