St Peters Square and Basilica and the Vatican Rome Italy St Peters Square was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and built between and At the centre of the piazza stands an Ancient Egyptian obelisk dating from the th century BC which was brought to Rome in the st century to stand at the centre of the Circus of Nero Built on what tradition holds is the site of the martyrdom of St Peter the first Pope St Peters Basilica replaced a previous basilica built by the Emperor Constantine in The current basilica was begun in during the papacy of Julius II and was completed under Paul V in The dome one of Romes most prominent landmarks was designed by Michelangelo and completed after his death by his student Giacomo della Porta Stereoscopic card detail