San Pietro in Montorio, Rome

This 16th-century church is a beautiful example of Renaissance architecture. It was rebuilt on the foundations of a medieval monastery, near where St Peter was crucified. Inside, the chapels are decorated with frescoes by the major artists of the period, including Vasari and Pomarancio, as well as work and frescoes by some of Michelangelo's best pupils. Bernini was responsible for the creation of the baroque chapel for the Raymondi family. Outside, in the center of the cloister, is the Temple of Bramante, an exquisite Renaissance work containing the exact spot on which St Peter's cross is reputed to have been erected. Visit the crypt inside the temple, opposite the staircase by Bernini, to see the hole in the ground where the cross would have stood.

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