St. Peter's Square

Saturday, March 19, 2011 (Part 5)

The only way out of the Vatican from the Basilica is through St. Peter's Square. The Square is truly enormous. In its center

is an obelisk erected here in 1586 with the help of 150 horses and 47 winches. And around the outskirts of the square are four-deep rows of 50-foot tall columns.

These columns are enormous, and they create a unique optical illusion if you stand in just the right spot on either side of the center of the square. In fact, there are markers on the ground of the square telling you exactly where to stand to experience the phenomenon. Katherine tried it out. What happens when you stand here is that the four rows of columns "disappear."

Instead, as you turn your head and look at the columns that surround the square, there appears to be a single row only. The three back rows are completely invisible. It's pretty neat. A real "touristy" think to do!