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The Holy See Press Office has shared an official clarification from St. Peter’s Basilica’s communications office after recent reports suggested a “rooftop bistro” was being prepared on the basilica’s terrace. In its response to Türkiye Today, Vatican officials said that what is being examined is an expansion of the terrace area open to pilgrims, alongside a possible enlargement of an existing, modest refreshment point, framed as a way to cope with heavier visitor flows while supporting a more prayerful atmosphere.
Addressing what it called circulating news about the “presumed opening of a bistro” on the terrace of St. Peter’s Basilica, the basilica’s communications office said to Türkiye Today, in light of increased numbers of visitors, it is studying an expansion of the terrace surface that can be accessed by pilgrims.
The statement indicated this could help ease the concentration of visitors inside the basilica and encourage “a climate of greater recollection,” a term used in Catholic contexts to describe a quieter, more reflective spiritual environment.
Within this approach, the Vatican statement said that certain areas could be made available to expand the small refreshment point that already exists. It described the existing facility as having a sober style suited to the setting, respectful of the sacred character of the site, and designed to meet pilgrims’ needs.
The clarification comes after media reports cited sources indicating that work had been under way on a dining space on the large terrace above the basilica, near the monumental statues of the Apostles. Those reports said the area had long been closed to the public and had previously been used as a storage space by the Sampietrini, the workers responsible for the basilica’s maintenance.
They also suggested that furniture and materials had arrived on site, pointing to a project at an advanced stage, even though no official opening date had been announced. According to the reports, the facility would sit at roof level, near the exit for visitors who use the lift up to the dome, offering light meals and drinks with views over Vatican City and central Rome, often called the “Eternal City” for its long, layered history.
The same coverage said the plan to expand food and refreshment services on the terrace had been discussed before, with an earlier hope of launching during the recent Jubilee Year, a major Catholic holy year that draws large crowds to Rome. The reports added that technical and logistical challenges had held things up and that other priorities had been put first.
They also pointed to the possibility of an opening later this year in connection with the 400th anniversary of the basilica’s consecration in its present form. St Peter’s Basilica was consecrated on Nov. 18, 1626 under Pope Urban VIII, marking the conclusion of a building process that began in 1506 and involved figures such as Michelangelo, Bramante, and Bernini.
While the project has been described in reports as low-profile, the idea of a rooftop dining venue has sparked criticism on social media, with some users questioning whether it fits the spiritual role of the Roman Catholic Church’s central basilica.
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