The St. Peter's Basilica is in the smallest country in the world, the Vatican City. It was built in the Vatican province by Emperor Constantine the Great. The basilica that you see is actually not the first one. The first basilica was much smaller but was destroyed and then renovated to be much bigger and extravagant. This is the case with the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums right next to the basilica. This is where the pope conducts mass and has his speeches from the balcony. The basilica is also where it is announced who the next Pope, the bishop of Rome, will be through smoke from the chimney. Black smoke means not decided and voting will have to go again. White smoke is that a new pope has been elected. The basilica is built on top of a Roman cemetery called the Vatican Necropolis. In the Necropolis is where St. Peter's bones are apparently buried. Above the the Vatican Necropolis is the Vatican Grotto. This area has the tombs of over 91 Popes. Because of the history behind the basilica, it is considered the most holy church in the Catholic world. It is also considered as the most visited basilicas for pilgrimage.