Editing St. Peter's Basilica (section)

====Towers and narthex====
* In the towers to either side of the facade are two clocks. The clock on the left has been operated electrically since 1931. Its oldest bell dates from 1288.
* One of the most important treasures of the basilica is a mosaic set above the central external door. Called the "Navicella", it is based on a design by [[Giotto]] (early 14th century) and represents a ship symbolizing the Christian Church.<ref name=Pinto/> The mosaic is mostly a 17th-century copy of Giotto's original.
* At each end of the narthex is an equestrian figure, to the north [[Constantine the Great]] by Bernini (1670) and to the south [[Equestrian statue of Charlemagne (Cornacchini)|Charlemagne]] by [[Agostino Cornacchini|Cornacchini]] (18th century).<ref name=Pinto/>
* Of the five portals from the narthex to the interior, three contain notable doors. The central portal has the Renaissance bronze door by [[Antonio di Pietro Averlino|Antonio Averulino]] (called Filarete) (1455), enlarged to fit the new space. The southern door, the ''[[Door of the Dead in St. Peter's Basilica|Door of the Dead]]'', was designed by 20th-century sculptor [[Giacomo Manzù]] and includes a portrait of Pope John XXIII kneeling before the crucified figure of Saint Peter.
* The northernmost door is the "Holy Door" which, by tradition, is walled-up with bricks, and opened only for holy years such as the [[Jubilee (Christian)|Jubilee year]] by the Pope. The present door is bronze and was designed by [[Vico Consorti]] in 1950 and cast in [[Florence]] by the [[Ferdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry]]. Above it are inscriptions commemorating the opening of the door: PAVLVS V PONT MAX ANNO XIII and GREGORIVS XIII PONT MAX.

Recently installed commemorative plaques read above the door as follows:
{{blockquote|PAVLVS VI PONT MAX HVIVS PATRIARCALIS VATICANAE BASILICAE PORTAM SANCTAM APERVIT ET CLAVSIT ANNO IVBILAEI MCMLXXV<br />(Paul VI, Pontifex Maximus, opened and closed the holy door of this patriarchal Vatican basilica in the jubilee year of 1975.)}}
{{blockquote|IOANNES PAVLVS II P.M. PORTAM SANCTAM ANNO IVBILAEI MCMLXXVI A PAVLO PP VI RESERVATAM ET CLAVSAM APERVIT ET CLAVSIT ANNO IVB HVMANE REDEMP MCMLXXXIII–MCMLXXXIV<br />(John Paul II, Pontifex Maximus, opened and closed again the holy door closed and set apart by Pope Paul VI in 1976 in the jubilee year of human redemption 1983–1984.)}}
{{blockquote|IOANNES PAVLVS II P.M. ITERVM PORTAM SANCTAM APERVIT ET CLAVSIT ANNO MAGNI IVBILAEI AB INCARNATIONE DOMINI MM–MMI<br />(John Paul II, Pontifex Maximus, again opened and closed the holy door in the year of the great jubilee, from the incarnation of the Lord 2000–2001.)}}
{{blockquote|FRANCISCVS PP. PORTAM SANCTAM ANNO MAGNI IVB MM–MMI A IOANNE PAVLO PP. II RESERVATAM ET CLAVSAM APERVIT ET CLAVSIT ANNO IVB MISERICORDIAE MMXV–MMXVI<br />(Pope Francis opened and closed again the holy door, closed and set apart by Pope John Paul II in the year of the great jubilee 2000–2001, in the jubilee year of Mercy 2015–2016.)}}

Older commemorative plaques are removed to make way for the new plaque when the holy door is opened and sealed.