Piazza San Pietro -- Saint Peter's Square: one of the architectural jewels of mankind, the centerpiece of baroque Rome, and one of the masterpieces of the long and productive life of Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
While there have been significant changes outside and leading to the square (done by the Italian state after the Lateran agreements), the magnificent square itself has been left virtually unchanged since Bernini added the second fountain in 1675 to make the whole space perfectly symmetrical. Not even the upheavals that followed the unfortunate Second Vatican Council were enough for the post-conciliar popes to feel entitled to make changes to this central spot of Catholicism and Romanitas. On the square itself, many temporary structures are often added for events or security, but only two images were to be found on the ground, in the space in front of the basilica: the patron saints of the City, Saints Peter and Paul.
That is, until today:
