Piazza San Pietro

Saint Peter's Square or Piazza San Pietro is situated in front of the St. Peter's Basilica, in the Vatican City in Rome. This square used to be an open space, and was redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, under the direction of Pope Alexander VII, from 1656 to 1667, according to what the Pope said it should be designed: "so that the greatest number of people could see the Pope give his blessing, either from the middle of the facade of the church or from a window in the Vatican Palace".