Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How much – in modern dollars – did St. Peter’s Basilica cost to build? And how much would it cost to build an exact replica today?
Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.art/toldinstone
Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more.
My new book, "Insane Emperors, Sunken Cities, and Earthquake Machines" is now available! Check it out here: amazon.com/Insane-Emperors-Sunken-Earthquake-Machines/dp/1633888932
Check out my other YouTube channels, @scenicroutestothepast and @toldinstonefootnotes
Please consider supporting toldinstone on Patreon:
patreon.com/toldinstone
If you're so inclined, you can follow me elsewhere on the web:
reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/profiles/toldinstone
instagram.com/toldinstone
goodreads.com/author/show/20993845.Garrett_Ryan
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:23 The original costs of St. Peter's
4:10 Contextualizing the costs
6:17 Masterworks
7:29 Converting to modern dollars
9:03 Comparing modern megaprojects
9:55 St. Peter's vs. Taj Mahal
10:55 How much would it cost today?
11:53 Estimate One
13:51 Estimate Two
See important Masterworks disclosures: masterworks.com/about/disclaimer?utm_source=toldinstone&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=6-15-23&utm_term=Viewer+of+Told+In+Stone&utm_content=toldinstone
View all past offerings at the SEC database: sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?company=masterworks&match=&filenum=&State=&Country=&SIC=&myowner=exclude&action=getcompany
How much – in modern dollars – did St. Peter’s Basilica cost to build? And how much would it cost to build an exact replica today?
Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.art/toldinstone
Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more.
My new book, "Insane Emperors, Sunken Cities, and Earthquake Machines" is now available! Check it out here: amazon.com/Insane-Emperors-Sunken-Earthquake-Machines/dp/1633888932
Check out my other YouTube channels, @scenicroutestothepast and @toldinstonefootnotes
Please consider supporting toldinstone on Patreon:
patreon.com/toldinstone
If you're so inclined, you can follow me elsewhere on the web:
reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/profiles/toldinstone
instagram.com/toldinstone
goodreads.com/author/show/20993845.Garrett_Ryan
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:23 The original costs of St. Peter's
4:10 Contextualizing the costs
6:17 Masterworks
7:29 Converting to modern dollars
9:03 Comparing modern megaprojects
9:55 St. Peter's vs. Taj Mahal
10:55 How much would it cost today?
11:53 Estimate One
13:51 Estimate Two
See important Masterworks disclosures: masterworks.com/about/disclaimer?utm_source=toldinstone&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=6-15-23&utm_term=Viewer+of+Told+In+Stone&utm_content=toldinstone
View all past offerings at the SEC database: sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?company=masterworks&match=&filenum=&State=&Country=&SIC=&myowner=exclude&action=getcompany
