Experience the 2,000-year story of St. Peter's Basilica through art, artifacts, historical documents and objects by some of history's most important artists and architects.

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Creating St. Peter's: Architectural Treasures of the Vatican, illustrates the dynamic history of Rome's status at the heart of the Christian world.
The exhibit, on loan from the Vatican, traces the life of St. Peter's Basilica from the 5th through the 17th centuries and charts two of the greatest architectural feats of the Renaissance: the engineering and construction of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, and the relocation of the Vatican obelisk to St. Peter's Square.

These tasks posed great difficulties as they demanded the creation of the largest dome in the history of the Western World, and the moving of a 98-foot tall and 331-ton Egyptian obelisk. The 16th century engineering involved rediscovering ancient building techniques.

The exhibit's centerpiece is Michelangelo's 18-foot wooden model for St. Peter's dome, intricately detailing both the inside and the outside of this 500-year-old architectural masterpiece. Another of the exhibit's artifact also is attracting attention: a winch used in hoisting, moving and lifting heavy weights in the basilica. This 1877 oak winch, restored for the exhibit, is of the same construction as those used to relocate the obelisk.

In 1585, Pope Sixtus V gave orders to move the obelisk from the southern side of the basilica to its present location in St. Peter's Square. Months of detailed architectural planning ensued. On April 30, 1586, 70 winches, 907 men and 45 horses began lifting the heavy granite obelisk into a protective wooden tower. It then took 22 hours to lower it onto a specially constructed cart for its four-month journey to its new location.

"This was an extraordinary and daunting, but delicate task," said Msgr. William A. Kerr, Cultural Center executive director. "The lifting operation required absolute silence and flawless synchronization. It was a truly amazing feat."

Raising the obelisk in its new location was equally marvelous. More than a year after the pope's decision, crowds assembled on September 10, 1586 to watch in amazement as the obelisk rose in front of St. Peter's Basilica.

The history of St. Peter's is also a spiritual journey unfolding the origins of Christianity - a journey that, in the West, began with the tomb of St. Peter. The exhibition contains scale replicas of a succession of monuments built over St. Peter's burial spot. Objects related to the site of St. Peter's martyrdom are also on display.

The exhibition is organized around several themes: