Cost of elevator to St Peters Dome

The cost for the elevator is 7E - gets you about halfway up - to the roof of the basilica. You still have almost 300 steps to the top.

For only 5E you can forgo the elevator and walk ALL the way to the top...

Ciao,
Ron

Thanks, Ron.

This reminds me of the small group of friends I climbed the dome with--we paid 7 euros for the elevator and got in along with a few other people and the attendant. When the elevator started up, it made a horrible noise and kind of bounced a few times. We all sort of looked at each other nervously and someone said "Umm...which direction is the elevator going today?"

We had a great time once we survived getting to the top--it was a beautiful day. Then we started the climb back down. When we got to the elevator level, half of the group decided to continue taking the stairs!! I (the youngest of the group!) rode the elevator back down.

Just got back. The other person is correct. 7 euros get you 320 steps away from the top.

How many steps would it be if you walk all the way?

Beatrix: I just checked 3 guidebooks and they don't answer your question--apparently they assume most people will consider the 323 steps to be sufficient exercise in the Roman heat. Now this could be a good assignment for you: trudge up every step, from the ground up to the top of the dome, counting every step, and then report back here, now inquiring minds want to know the exact count. Or you could walk down, your choice. :)Okay, seriously, figure the elevator gets you about half way, and from the elevator to the top is 323 steps, so 323 x 2 = about 650 total steps, let's round down to 600 steps as a SWAG. Or think of it this way: It's about 430 feet from the ground to the top of the lantern, roughly the equivalent of a 43-story building (10 ft/floor) in the Roman heat; and the good news is you only have to climb the first 40 stories because you can't get to the top of the lantern.

Beatrix - Kent's right... it's too hot to even think about counting those steps! I saw a sign that said 500 and something but I do not recall as there was NO WAY I was climbing if I could ride for 2 more Euros. I've climbed about everything in Italy - and believe me when I say, RIDE WHEN YOU CAN! This is a case of not "how you got there," but just getting there! It's the destination, not the journey, to the top of the Dome!

The tough part of this climb is once you get off the Basilica Roof and start climbing (assuming you took the elevator), there are literally NO BREAKS for about 240 stairs! And it's a narrow, one-way, winding staircase!

Nope, if they ever build an elevator to the top, I will gladly pay 2 more Euros and ride it!

Survived the Climb in Rome,
Ciao,
Ron

Ron: I was just about to PM you and ask you, really nicely, if you'd go over there tomorrow (just leave the motorino at the basilica entrance, the guards will watch it for you) and climb those steps for us, from the ground all the way up, big guy, no wimping out with elevators--so that we can get an exact count. Do it now before the thermometer needle goes off the charts in a month or so.

A good website to see people climbing the dome and what the stairs and passageways look like is:

www.flickr.com

just put "climbing St. Peter's dome" in search box

Kent - LOL ... at the thought of parking a motorino in St. Peter's. Probably start an International Scandal. Speaking of International, we do have the female tennis pros this week for the Rome Open and a few have been seen at the basilica - think they're trying to get an edge??

For me, it was already TOO hot in March when I climbed the "2nd set" of stairs. I'm too old to do ALL those stairs... But it is worth the climb. Pick a sunny day and you get an incredible view of Rome. I do have a ton of pic's on my Flickr site!

Kent, I'll see you in Firenze and we'll race up the Campanile! Loser buys the wine! (I think that one has 443 steps - not that I counted!!!)

Ciao,
Ron

Okay Okay ... I forgot about the heat. I've climbed the Dom in Cologne several times and don't mind its 508 steps. But it was never really hot when I did. Though, now that I think of it: the last climb was in the summer of 2006 and the temperature was about 80-90 F. We ran out of water by the time we reached the top ...

Beatrix, there are NO water stations in route to the top of the Cupola... so bring plenty! My last trip up we had to "assist" a German lady the last 75-100 steps... It was either that or WAIT (some more!). It took three of us to "assist" her! It's not a scary climb, just not too many rest-stops!

I like to climb everything - I DRAG my wife with me (who's afraid of heights!). St. Paul's, in London, on a dark, rainy day, just as the sun set was probably our scariest. My wife swore she would never climb that one again! St. Peter's is a piece of cake compared to that!

BTW, Kent informed me that you are the official "keeper of the count!" Please post your results!!!!

Ciao,
Ron

I guess I have "a thing" for climbing towers in Europe ;-) Did St Paul's last June and was very surprised when I arrived rather quickly on top - what? no more steps???

We'll see how we'll be doing once we get there. It'll be a 16-18 hour trip for me and the kids to meet up with hubby in Rome. Arriving Thursday night we've planned the Vatican for Saturday. If it's a busy day with long line-ups for the elevator we might just do it.

I've done that last summer in Hamburg climbing the Michel (453 steps): it had line-ups at the elevator which meant doing the climb instead was very peaceful and quicker!!! Stairwells inside church towers are usually quite cool with all those heavy thick walls around you. Nevertheless, my friends with whom I stayed in Hamburg and who were my guides for the weekend decided to wait for me in the church yard cooling themselves with a glass of beer - a very German thing to do on a Saturday morn (well, in their defense they've done the tower previously)

Oh which leads me to another question. As mentioned above there are never water fountains in any church or other towers to be climbed. I guess it's quite common to refill you water bottles in one of the many fountains around Rome. Are there opportunities to fill up you bottle in the Vatican? Would you do it in the washrooms?

Okay, so here my report:

I did climb ALL the stairs up to the top of St Peter. That was 5 Euro instead of 7 and a gelato well earned ;-) There are about 232 steps that go around the elevator in a very spacious stair case, the most spacious one I've ever seen in any church/cathedral. It felt like racing up a high way! And without any other people around it was very easy to do.

From the point where the elevator arrives to the very top there are another 323 steps. They get narrower as you get up but still quite managable. Makes a total of 555 steps. And it is managable in part because there is a cafe and washrooms at the elevator level where you can refill your water bottle.

I found this particular climb despite the number of steps not too exhausting because:

• the stair case is comparably roomy

• you are allowed to bring water along and can refill it.

It was rather a shock to me when I discovered that most churches and towers in Italy now do not allow you to take anything up other than your camera. That alone was the reason I almost skipped the climb of Torre del Mangia in Siena. It was 97 F that day and I had to wait 40 minutes in line before going up. At least I could wait in the shade. Drank my water all that time and was able to make it. And I'm very glad that I did!