On 18 April 1506, Pope Julius II laid the cornerstone of what would become the present-day St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, marking the beginning of one of the most ambitious architectural projects of the Renaissance.
Designed to replace the deteriorating 4th-century Constantinian basilica, the new structure was envisioned as a monumental centrepiece of the Catholic Church.
Over the next century, architects including Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini would contribute to its iconic form, making it a symbol of papal power and artistic grandeur.
