10St. Peter’s Basilica

Rome may have more than 900 churches, but St. Peter’s Basilica reigns supreme among them. The Vatican basilica is the largest and most opulent church in Italy, and a list of the artists who helped create the magnificent structure reads like a Renaissance Hall of Fame.

Inside lies Michelangelo’s Pieta, Bernini’s lavish bronze altarpiece and Bramante’s distinctive window-lined dome; it is hard to know where to look first because every inch of the massive church seems to be covered in marble and gold. The exterior of the building is no slouch either, with the square on which it sits surrounded by an enormous colonnade topped with 140 statues.

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