Who decided to build the old St Peter's basilica?
Who decided to build the old St Peter's basilica? Emperor Constantine I ordered the construction of Old St. Peter's Basilica between the years 326 and 333 to commemorate the martyrdom of Saint Peter. Construction of the structure took about 40 years to complete and finished in 360.
What was the Vatican before Christianity?
The area off the west bank of the Tiber River that comprises the Vatican was once a marshy region known as Ager Vaticanus. During the early years of the Roman Empire, it became an administrative region populated by expensive villas, as well as a circus built in the gardens of Emperor Caligula's mother.
What is the oldest church still standing?
The Dura-Europos church in Syria is the oldest surviving church building in the world, while the archaeological remains of both the Aqaba Church and the Megiddo church have been considered to be the world's oldest known purpose-built church, erected in the Roman Empire's administrative Diocese of the East in the 3rd ...
What is the largest church in the world?
St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the largest church in the world.