Opinions on visiting St Peters considering Pieta not viewable and Bernini’s Canopy as well

https://www.usccb.org/news/2024/canopy-over-main-altar-st-peters-basilica-undergo-restoration

Liz, while I haven't been to the basilica while the restoration work has been underway, I can promise you that the sheer size and architecture of the place is worth the visit. I'm sorry you won't be able to see Pieta but if it helps, the sculpture was some distance behind the protective glass so you wouldn't have gotten a close-up look at it, Quite honestly, the Bernini sculptures in Galleria Borghese and some other locations around Rome made a bigger impression.

If you don't hear from enough recent visitors on this forum, browse the reviews (since March or so) on Trip Advisor? While those won't address the most recent issue with Pieta, I'm not seeing any complaints about the baldacchino works spoiling the visit. As one visitor wrote, "Even with some maintenance work going on and scaffolding in place this did not detract from our experience."

You can see what the covering on the baldacchino looks like here:
https://x.com/CatholicNewsSvc/status/1773264301232468025
https://catholiccourier.com/articles/let-tears-of-repentance-flow-pope-tells-priests-at-chrism-mass/. (first photo)
It looks like you'll be able to walk back of it to see Bernini's Altar of the Chair of St Peter.

In addition, here is a detailed map of the many, many other altars, sculptures and monuments within the church. It may help alleve at least some of your understandable disappointment with an example of everything else there is to see?

https://stpetersbasilica.info/floorplan.htm
(Don't rely of this website for other visiting details; use St. Peter's own site.)

This is the basilica's official website:
https://www.basilicasanpietro.va/en.html

St. Peter's and awesome and you won't be disappointed, even if you can't see everything.
The Sistine Chapel is in my opinion the most amazing place with all its frescoes on the walls and ceiling.

Also, I suggest reading the book: The Basilica. It tells the history of the building of St. Peter's. It had three architects in more than a century and a half. Also, it cost so much to build that the Catholic Church raised funds through abusive indulgences that were a huge factor in starting the Protestant Reformation.

The Sistine Chapel is in my opinion the most amazing place...

Except it's not in the basilica, although the OP probably knew that.
She had previous posts regarding the museums.

That is disappointing, but I would advise not to skip what is available. As others have said, the Basilica is stunning for sheer size and not without other highlights. In addition to the links above, look at this for Basilica additional options. The grottos are often free, and many don’t discover them. I have also climbed the dome which was a highlight. https://www.basilicasanpietro.va/en/experience-the-basilica/visits/unguided-visits.html

You might look for some special tours offered by the Vatican. I have done their Scavi tour to the tomb of St Peter http://www.scavi.va/content/scavi/en/ufficio-scavi.html. Also, there has been a garden tour of the inaccessible grounds that might be available. Check the .va official website

The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museum. Different access, entrance, fee structure, etc. Edit- cross post.

Plan any special tour or Vatican Museum and buy tickets in advance.

I completely agree with Kathy. I was very disappointed in the Pieta. It’s behind glass and you can’t get close to it. Plus there are crowds of people pushing their way to the front and taking selfies. I saw it when I was 11 at the New York World’s Fair and was blown away. Not this time. However, I was blown away by St. Peter’s. Don’t miss it.

I am old enough to remember the day in 1972 when a deranged Australian attacked the Pietà with his hammer, chipping away several pieces of it. This is why is now under glass.

Here’s the vatican museum and tour official website
https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/organizza-visita/scegli-la-visita.html

I will add that, for me, seeing the Pieta behind glass was not as awe inspiring as the rest of the Basilica. I agree with above posters assessments!

Here’s the Vatican Museum and tour official website:
https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/organizza-visita/scegli-la-visita.html

I will add that, for me, seeing the Pieta behind glass was not as
awe-inspiring as the rest of the Basilica. I agree with the above
posters' assessments! By the way, if you're interested in online
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I’ve been playing there for a few months and can confidently
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I totally understand! Crowds can really spoil the experience. What other works of art in the Vatican would you recommend seeing? I'm going to be there in a few weeks for work and will spend the weekend there, Hopefully not useless

Welcome to the forum, alexandrokrossi -
It's best if you start a new thread with your questions so that Liz doesn't have to read through responses having nothing to do with her trip. :O)

Do that here:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy

But a work of caution: online tickets for the museums on the Vatican's own website likely sold out weeks ago so you may have to show up early (or possibly later in the afternoon) and stand in line to get them, or book a tour with an independent company. Yes, parts of the museums - such as the usual route to the Sistine - will be very crowded.

https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html

I appreciate this question and the responses. My husband, teenager and I will be in Rome in June too, and I was wondering the same as Lizcat especially since we will be intentionally skipping the Vatican museum. (My husband and I visited 20 years, and while it was incredible, we have no interest in a second visit) But, we do want to climb St Peter’s dome which is something we did not do on our visit 20 years ago. Our plan is to be in line by 7:00 — a hard “sell” for a teen and us too — so I was wondering if we should just skip it. I feel assured it will still be worth a visit! Thank you!

We were in Rome last month and visited St Peter's (trip report here for more specifics). None of us had been to Rome (or heck, Italy for the 'kids') before and who knows if any of us will go back again. We are NOT particularly artsy people (did not visit the Vatican museums, etc).

St. Peter's was one of the major highlights of our 2 week trip, and is one of the places at least 2 of us would visit again if we ever do get back to Rome. While we were there the Pieta was still viewable, but the canopy was covered, etc. And while the Pieta is amazing, what was honestly more amazing than the individual pieces of St Peter's is the basillica itself. The scale! The pomp! The projection of power! The architecture/design and the brilliance of working with that scale. And then as we traveled around other parts of Italy to compare St Peter's with other cathedrals to really get a sense of the Church vs. the church.

I'm a very, very strong vote for it being an amazing experience regardless of the status of the individual items inside of the space.

Thanks for all the responses. A special shout out to Kathy who always gives such good advice. I feel much better about the St. Peter’s visit now and will do so. And yes, we have had our tix for the Vatican museums for some time. We will be doing the official Vatican tour at 4:00. (Not on the same day as St. Peter’s.) And yes, we have tix for the Borghese. Something I did not realize was how far you are from the Pieta when it is on view. We had such a great experience in Florence seeing the stunning Michelangelo sculptures at the Medici Chapel. Obviously, the Pieta experience would have been nothing like that so I don’t fee so bad about missing it. I do wish we could have seen the Bernini canopy intact though

Again, thanks to every body who responded.

No love for St Peter's toe?

Aw shucks, Liz. Thanks for the kind words.

We had such a great experience in Florence seeing the stunning
Michelangelo sculptures at the Medici Chapel.

Oh but you haven't yet laid eyes upon Bernini's "Rape of Prosperina" or "David" at the Borghese! THAT is my "David." 'Ol Mike did a dang good job with the chisel but his figures are almost always motionless. IMHO, It took a special brilliance to capture tension, movement and the softness of human flesh in stone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_(Bernini)#/media/File:Bernini's_David_02.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rape_of_Proserpina#/media/File:Rape_of_Prosepina_September_2015-2b.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_and_Daphne_(Bernini)#/media/File:Apollo_and_Daphne_(Bernini)_(cropped).jpg
https://www.througheternity.com/en/blog/art/bernini-ecstasy-teresa-sculpture-rome.html
(This last is at Santa Maria della Vittoria; do try and see it!)

But it's OK to be a fan of both, and lucky you to see the work of both! Let me know what you thought of Gian's pieces when you get back? You're going to have such a fun trip!!!!

Thanks Kathy. I’m very much looking forward to the Bernini sculptures and indeed Santa Maria Vittoria church is in our plans. I do plan to report back after the trip.