Old St. Peter 's Basilica - wikipedia Old St. Peter 's Basilica St. Peter 's Basilica Basilica Sancti Petri 19th - century drawing of St. Peter 's Basilica as it is thought to have looked around 1450. The Vatican Obelisk is on the left, still standing on the spot where it was erected on the orders of the Emperor Caligula in 37 A.D. Basic information Geographic coordinates 41 ° 54 ′ 8 '' N 12 ° 27 ′ 12 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 41.90222 ° N 12.45333 ° E ﻿ / 41.90222 ; 12.45333 Coordinates : 41 ° 54 ′ 8 '' N 12 ° 27 ′ 12 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 41.90222 ° N 12.45333 ° E ﻿ / 41.90222 ; 12.45333 Affiliation Roman Catholic Country Papal States Year consecrated c. 360 Ecclesiastical or organizational status Major basilica Architectural description Architectural style Ancient Roman architecture Groundbreaking 326 - 333 ( 326 - 333 ) Completed c. 360 ( c. 360 ) Fresco showing cutaway view of Constantine 's St. Peter 's Basilica as it looked in the 4th century Old St. Peter 's Basilica was the building that stood, from the 4th to 16th centuries, where the new St. Peter 's Basilica stands today in Vatican City. Construction of the basilica, built over the historical site of the Circus of Nero, began during the reign of Emperor Constantine I. The name `` old St. Peter 's Basilica '' has been used since the construction of the current basilica to distinguish the two buildings. Contents 1 History 2 Design 2.1 Mosaics 3 Tombs 4 See also 5 Notes 6 Further reading 7 External links History An early interpretation of the relative locations of the Circus of Nero, and the old and current Basilicas of St. Peter Construction began by orders of the Roman Emperor Constantine I between 318 and 322, and took about 30 years to complete. Over the next twelve centuries, the church gradually gained importance, eventually becoming a major place of pilgrimage in Rome. Papal coronations were held at the basilica, and in 800, Charlemagne was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire there. In 846, Saracens sacked and damaged the basilica. The raiders seem to have known about Rome 's extraordinary treasures. Some holy -- and impressive -- basilicas, such as St. Peter 's Basilica, were outside the Aurelian walls, and thus easy targets. They were `` filled to overflowing with rich liturgical vessels and with jeweled reliquaries housing all of the relics recently amassed ''. As a result, the raiders pillaged the holy shrine. In response Pope Leo IV built the Leonine wall and rebuilt the parts of St. Peter 's that had been damaged. In 1099, Urban II convened a council including St Anselm. Among other topics, it repeated the bans on lay investiture and on clergy 's paying homage to secular lords. By the 15th century the church was falling into ruin. Discussions on repairing parts of the structure commenced upon the pope 's return from Avignon. Two people involved in this reconstruction were Leon Battista Alberti and Bernardo Rossellino, who improved the apse and partially added a multi-story benediction loggia to the atrium facade, on which construction continued intermittently until the new basilica was begun. Alberti pronounced the basilica a structural abomination : `` I have noticed in the basilica of St. Peter 's in Rome a crass feature : an extremely long and high wall has been constructed over a continuous series of openings, with no curves to give it strength, and no buttresses to lend it support... The whole stretch of wall has been pierced by too many openings and built too high... As a result, the continual force of the wind has already displaced the wall more than six feet ( 1.8 m ) from the vertical ; I have no doubt that eventually some... slight movement will make it collapse... '' At first Pope Julius II had every intention of preserving the old building, but his attention soon turned toward tearing it down and building a new structure. Many people of the time were shocked by the proposal, as the building represented papal continuity going back to Peter. The original altar was to be preserved in the new structure that housed it. Design This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( April 2012 ) Bronze statue of Saint Peter by Arnolfo di Cambio, dating to the 13th century The design was a typical basilica form with the plan and elevation resembling those of Roman basilicas and audience halls, such as the Basilica Ulpia in Trajan 's Forum and Constantine 's own Aula Palatina at Trier, rather than the design of any Greco - Roman temple. Constantine went to great pains to build the basilica on the site of Saint Peter 's grave, and this fact influenced the layout of the building. The Vatican Hill, on the west bank of the Tiber River, was leveled. Notably, since the site was outside the boundaries of the ancient city, the apse with the altar was located in the west so that the basilica 's façade could be approached from Rome itself to the east. The exterior however, unlike earlier pagan temples, was not lavishly decorated. The church was capable of housing from 3,000 to 4,000 worshipers at one time. It consisted of five aisles, a wide central nave and two smaller aisles to each side, which were each divided by 21 marble columns, taken from earlier pagan buildings. It was over 350 feet ( 110 m ) long, built in the shape of a Latin cross, and had a gabled roof which was timbered on the interior and which stood at over 100 feet ( 30 m ) at the center. An atrium, known as the `` Garden of Paradise '', stood at the entrance and had five doors which led to the body of the church ; this was a sixth - century addition. The altar of Old St. Peter 's Basilica used several Solomonic columns. According to tradition, Constantine took these columns from the Temple of Solomon and gave them to the church ; however, the columns were probably from an Eastern church. When Gian Lorenzo Bernini built his baldacchino to cover the new St. Peter 's altar, he drew from the twisted design of the old columns. Eight of the original columns were moved to the piers of the new St. Peter 's. Mosaics The great Navicella mosaic ( 1305 - 1313 ) in the atrium is attributed to Giotto di Bondone. The giant mosaic, commissioned by Cardinal Jacopo Stefaneschi, occupied the whole wall above the entrance arcade facing the courtyard. It depicted St. Peter walking on the waters. This extraordinary work was mainly destroyed during the construction of the new St. Peter 's in the 16th century, but fragments were preserved. Navicella means `` little ship '' referring to the large boat which dominated the scene, and whose sail, filled by the storm, loomed over the horizon. Such a natural representation of a seascape was known only from ancient works of art. The nave ended with an arch, which held a mosaic of Constantine and Saint Peter, who presented a model of the church to Christ. On the walls, each having 11 windows, were frescoes of various people and scenes from both the Old and New Testament. The fragment of an eighth - century mosaic, the Epiphany, is one of the very rare remaining bits of the medieval decoration of Old St. Peter 's Basilica. The precious fragment is kept in the sacristy of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. It proves the high artistic quality of the destroyed mosaics. Another one, a standing madonna, is on a side altar in the Basilica of San Marco in Florence. The 1628 full - size copy in oil of the great Navicella mosaic by Giotto Mosaic of the Adoration of the Magi, today in Santa Maria in Cosmedin Mater misericordie, today in San Marco in Florence Mosaic, today in the Museo Barracco Four pairs of the original Solomonic columns now support curved pediments to form trompe - l'œil porticoes on the piers of St. Peter 's. Tombs Main article : Papal tombs in Old St. Peter 's Basilica A sketch by Giacomo Grimaldi of the interior of St. Peter 's during its reconstruction, showing the temporary placement of some of the tombs. Since the crucifixion and burial of Saint Peter in 64 A.D., the spot was thought to be the location of the tomb of Saint Peter, where there stood a small shrine. With its increasing prestige the church became richly decorated with statues, furnishings and elaborate chandeliers, and side tombs and altars were continuously added. The structure was absolutely filled with tombs and bodies of saints and popes. Bones continued to be found in construction as late as February 1544. The majority of these tombs were destroyed during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries demolition of Old St. Peter 's Basilica ( save one which was destroyed during the Saracen Sack of the church in 846 ). The remainder were translated in part to modern St. Peter 's Basilica, which stands on the site of the original basilica, and a handful of other churches of Rome. Along with the repeated translations from the ancient Catacombs of Rome and two fourteenth century fires in Basilica of St. John Lateran, the rebuilding of St. Peter 's is responsible for the destruction of approximately half of all papal tombs. As a result, Donato Bramante, the chief architect of modern St. Peter 's Basilica, has been remembered as `` Maestro Ruinante ''. See also List of Greco - Roman roofs Index of Vatican City - related articles Notes ^ Jump up to : Boorsch, Suzanne ( Winter 1982 -- 1983 ). `` The Building of the Vatican : The Papacy and Architecture ''. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin. 40 ( 3 ) : 4 -- 8. Jump up ^ Marian Moffett, Michael Fazio, Lawrence Wodehouse, A World History of Architecture, 2nd edition 2008, pp. 135 Jump up ^ Davis, Raymond, The Lives of the Ninth - Century Popes ( Liber pontificalis ), ( Liverpool University Press, 1995 ), 96. Jump up ^ Barbara Kreutz ( 1996 ). Before the Normans : Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries. University of Pennsylvania Press pp. 25 -- 28. Jump up ^ Rosemary Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Saints, ( InfoBase Publishing, 2001 ), 208. Jump up ^ William Tronzo ( 2005 ). St. Peter 's in the Vatican. Cambridge University Press. p. 16. ISBN 0 - 521 - 64096 - 2. Jump up ^ Sobocinski, Melanie Grunow ( 2005 ). Detroit and Rome. The Regents of the Univ of Michigan. p. 77. ISBN 0 - 933691 - 09 - 2. Jump up ^ Garder, Helen ; et al. ( March 17, 2004 ). Gardner 's Art Through the Ages With Infotrac. Thomas Wadsworth. p. 219. ISBN 0 - 15 - 505090 - 7. Jump up ^ Garder, Helen ; et al. ( March 17, 2004 ). Gardner 's Art Through the Ages With Infotrac. Thomas Wadsworth. p. 619. ISBN 0 - 15 - 505090 - 7. Jump up ^ `` Old Saint Peter 's Basilica. '' Encyclopædia Britannica. 2006. Jump up ^ Patetta, Federico ( 1943 ). La figura del Bramante nel `` Simia '' d'Andrea Guarna ( in Italian ). Roma : Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Further reading The Vatican : spirit and art of Christian Rome. New York : The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1982. ISBN 0870993488. ( pp. 51 -- 61 ) Weitzmann, Kurt, ed., Age of spirituality : late antique and early Christian art, third to seventh century, no. 581, 1979, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, ISBN 9780870991790 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Saint Peter 's Basilica. The Constantinian Basilica Article by Jose Ruysschaert The Tomb of St Peter Book by Margherita Guarducci Landmarks of Rome Bridges Pons Cestius Pons Fabricius Ponte Milvio Ponte Sant'Angelo Ponte Sisto Basilicas and churches St. Peter 's Basilica Sistine Chapel Archbasilica of St. John Lateran Basilica of San Clemente al Laterano Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls Catacombs Church of the Gesù San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane Santa Croce in Gerusalemme Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri Santa Maria in Cosmedin Santa Maria in Trastevere Santa Prassede Santa Sabina Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza Santa Maria della Vittoria Santa Maria del Popolo San Pietro in Vincoli Roman architecture Villas Villa of Livia Villa of the Quintilii Villa of the sette bassi Temples Pantheon Temple of Castor and Pollux Temple of Hercules Victor Temple of Portunus Temple of Saturn Temple of Vesta Architecture Altare della Patria Ara Pacis Aurelian Walls Baths of Caracalla Castel Sant'Angelo Circus Maximus Colosseum Column of Marcus Aurelius Comitium Imperial fora Largo di Torre Argentina Mausoleum of Augustus Obelisks Palazzo Barberini Palazzo Farnese Piazza Navona Pyramid of Cestius Roman Forum Servian Wall Spanish Steps Theatre of Marcellus Theatre of Pompey Tiber Island Torre dei Capocci Torre delle Milizie Trajan 's Column Trajan 's Market Trevi Fountain Art Apollo Belvedere Augustus of Prima Porta La Bocca della Verità Laocoön and His Sons Ecstasy of Saint Teresa Seven Hills Aventine Caelian Capitoline Esquiline Palatine Quirinal Viminal Parks and gardens Villa Ada Villa Borghese gardens Villa Doria Pamphili Villa Medici Villa Torlonia Parco degli Acquedotti Piazzas and public spaces Campo de ' Fiori Piazza Colonna Piazza d'Aracoeli Piazza del Popolo Piazza della Minerva Piazza della Repubblica Piazza Farnese Piazza Navona Piazza di Spagna Piazza Venezia Streets Appian Way Clivus Capitolinus Via del Corso Via della Conciliazione Via dei Fori Imperiali Via Sacra Via Veneto Museums Vatican Museums Galleria Borghese Doria Pamphilj Gallery Museum of Roman Civilization Capitoline Museums National Roman Museum National Museum of Oriental Art Palaces Palazzo Farnese Palazzo Colonna Palazzo Chigi Palazzo Barberini Palazzo Riario Palazzo Pamphilj Quirinal Palace Metropolitan City of Rome Capital Castello Orsini - Odescalchi Hadrian 's Villa Villa Aldobrandini Villa d'Este Villa Farnese Events and traditions Festa della Repubblica Rome Quadriennale Rome Film Festival Related Vatican City St. Peter 's Square Papacy of the Catholic Church Titles Papal names Bishop of Rome Vicar of Jesus Christ Successor of the Prince of the Apostles Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church Primate of Italy Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province Sovereign of the Vatican City State Servant of the servants of God Vicarius Filii Dei Symbols Coats of arms Coats of arms of the Holy See and Vatican City Cross Keys of Heaven Regalia and insignia Rota Umbraculum Proclamations Apostolic constitution Bull List Encyclical Apostolic exhortation Ecclesiastical letter Activities Conclave Oath Coronation Consistory Inauguration Mass Travel Paul VI John Paul II Benedict XVI Francis Vestments Camauro Falda Fanon Ferula Flabellum Mitre Mozzetta Pallium Ring of the Fisherman Shoes Sub-cinctorium Tiara Zucchetto Major basilicas Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore St. Peter 's Basilica Locations Apostolic Palace Holy See Papal Apartments Saint Peter 's Square Sistine Chapel Vatican City Transportation Popemobile Sedia gestatoria Staff Prefecture of the Pontifical Household Office for Liturgical Celebrations Pope portal Vatican City portal Catholicism portal Vatican City articles Sovereign territory of the Holy See History History of the papacy Papal States Duchy of Rome Donation of Sutri Donation of Pepin `` Prisoner in the Vatican '' Lateran Palace Circus of Nero Old St. Peter 's Basilica Savoyard era First Vatican Council Lateran Treaty Second Vatican Council Geography Apostolic Palace Papal Apartments Raphael Rooms Castel Gandolfo Domus Sanctae Marthae ( Pope Francis ' residence ) Gardens Mater Ecclesiae Monastery ( Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI 's residence ) Paul VI Audience Hall The Resurrection Passetto di Borgo St. Peter 's Basilica St. Peter 's Square Saint Peter 's tomb Sistine Chapel ceiling Vatican Hill Vatican Museums Historical Museum Modern Religious Art Vatican Necropolis St. Peter 's Baldachin Cortile del Belvedere Bramante Staircase Politics Politics Pope List of sovereigns Elections Foreign relations Pontifical Commission Pontifical Council Government Roman Curia Secretariat of State Vicar General Law Fundamental Law of Vatican City State Crime Military Corpo della Gendarmeria Swiss Guard Economy Banking Communications. va ( Internet domain ) Secretariat for the Economy Tourism Transport rail Culture Academy of Sciences AT telescope observatory Anthem Catholic Church Coats of arms Demographics Flag Languages Media Holy See Press Office Secretariat for Communications Annuario Pontificio newspaper radio television information service News.va Music National football team Philatelic and Numismatic Office Public holidays Vatican Cricket Team Vatican Library film secret archives Pope portal Vatican City portal Catholicism portal Holy See topics ( Latin : Sancta Sedes ) Jurisdiction Rome, Italy Vatican City Basilicas St. John Lateran St. Peter 's Santa Maria Maggiore San Paolo fuori le Mura Government Papacy Secretariat of State Roman Curia College of Cardinals Congregations Councils Apostolic Camera Properties Vatican City Officials Pope Secretary of State Dean Camerlengo Foreign affairs Foreign relations Section for Relations with States Diplomatic missions to / of the Holy See Legal status Multilateral policy Nuncio Nunciature Concordats Treaties Lateran Pacts Italy United Nations Vicariates Rome Vatican Suburbicarian sees Ostia Velletri - Segni Porto - Santa Rufina Frascati Palestrina Albano Sabina - Poggio Mirteto Suffragan dioceses Archdiocese of Gaeta Anagni - Alatri Civita Castellana Civitavecchia - Tarquinia Frosinone - Veroli - Ferentino Latina - Terracina - Sezze - Priverno Rieti Sora - Aquino - Pontecorvo Tivoli Viterbo Territorial Abbey of Montecassino Territorial Abbey of Subiaco Pope portal Vatican City portal Catholicism portal Catholic Church Index Outline History ( Timeline ) Jesus Holy Family Mary Joseph Apostles Early Christianity History of the papacy Ecumenical councils Missions Great Schism of East Crusades Great Schism of West Age of Discovery Protestant Reformation Council of Trent Counter-Reformation Catholic Church by country Vatican City index outline Second Vatican Council Hierarchy ( Precedence ) Pope ( List ) Pope Francis ( 2013 -- present ) conclave inauguration theology canonizations visits Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI ( 2005 -- 2013 ) Roman Curia College of Cardinals Cardinal List Patriarchate Episcopal conference Patriarch Major archbishop Primate Metropolitan Archbishop Diocesan bishop Coadjutor bishop Auxiliary bishop Titular bishop Bishop emeritus Abbot Abbess Superior general Provincial superior Grand Master Prior ( - ess ) Priest Brother Friar Sister Monk Nun Hermit Master of novices Novice Oblate Postulant Laity Theology Body and soul Bible Catechism Divine grace Dogma Ecclesiology Four Marks of the Church Original sin List Salvation Sermon on the Mount Ten Commandments Trinity Worship Mariology Assumption History Immaculate Conception Mariology of the popes Mariology of the saints Mother of God Perpetual virginity Veneration Philosophy Natural law Moral theology Personalism Social teaching Philosophers Sacraments Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Penance Anointing of the Sick Last rites Holy orders Matrimony Saints Mary Apostles Archangels Confessors Disciples Doctors of the Church Evangelists Church Fathers Martyrs Patriarchs Prophets Virgins Doctors of the Church Gregory the Great Ambrose Augustine of Hippo Jerome John Chrysostom Basil of Caesarea Gregory of Nazianzus Athanasius of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Jerusalem John of Damascus Bede the Venerable Ephrem the Syrian Thomas Aquinas Bonaventure Anselm of Canterbury Isidore of Seville Peter Chrysologus Leo the Great Peter Damian Bernard of Clairvaux Hilary of Poitiers Alphonsus Liguori Francis de Sales Peter Canisius John of the Cross Robert Bellarmine Albertus Magnus Anthony of Padua Lawrence of Brindisi Teresa of Ávila Catherine of Siena Thérèse of Lisieux John of Ávila Hildegard of Bingen Gregory of Narek Institutes, orders, and societies Assumptionists Annonciades Augustinians Basilians Benedictines Bethlehemites Blue nuns Camaldoleses Camillians Carmelites Carthusians Cistercians Clarisses Conceptionists Crosiers Dominicans Franciscans Good Shepherd Sisters Hieronymites Jesuits Mercedarians Minims Olivetans Oratorians Piarists Premonstratensians Redemptorists Servites Theatines Trappists Trinitarians Visitandines Associations of the faithful International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements International Federation of Catholic Universities International Kolping Society Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement International Union of Catholic Esperantists Community of Sant'Egidio Charities Aid to the Church in Need Caritas Internationalis Catholic Home Missions Catholic Relief Services CIDSE Particular churches ( By country ) Latin Church Eastern Catholic Churches : Albanian Armenian Belarusian Bulgarian Chaldean Coptic Croatian and Serbian Eritrean Ethiopian Georgian Greek Hungarian Italo - Albanian Macedonian Maronite Melkite Romanian Russian Ruthenian Slovak Syriac Syro - Malabar Syro - Malankara Ukrainian Liturgical rites Alexandrian Antiochian Armenian Byzantine East Syrian Latin Anglican Use Ambrosian Mozarabic Roman West Syrian Catholicism portal Pope portal Vatican City portal Book Name Media Templates WikiProject Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_St._Peter%27s_Basilica&oldid=829599291 '' Categories : 4th - century churches Buildings and structures demolished in the 16th century Sites of papal elections Constantine the Great and Christianity St. Peter 's Basilica Palaeo - Christian architecture in Italy Destroyed Roman Catholic churches in Rome Basilica churches in Rome Basilica churches in Vatican City Hidden categories : CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) Articles containing Latin - language text Coordinates on Wikidata Pages using infobox religious building with unsupported parameters Articles needing additional references from April 2012 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages Azərbaycanca Català Español Esperanto Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano Magyar Nederlands Português Română Русский Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi ไทย Türkçe 中文 8 more Edit links This page was last edited on 9 March 2018, at 16 : 58. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when was old st peter's basilica built
Answer: 360