St. Peters Italian Church (London)
St. Peters is a Catholic church in the fascinating Clerkenwell district of London.
It is situated on Clerkenwell Road, between Back Hill and Herbal Hill.
The church was founded by the Pallottine Fathers, with Pope Pius IX taking a great personal interest. The intention was to be for "the faithful of all nations", but the congregation soon became predominantly Italian.
There is a large Italian population around Clerkenwell and Hatton Garden, so much so that the district is often referred to as "Little Italy".
Work began in 1853, to the designs of Francesco Gualandi of Bologna.
But a more modest version was designed by John Miller Bryson. The crypt opened on Christmas Day in 1863, and the rest of the church a month later.
St. Peters is very ornate, and is the focus for an annual procession through the streets.