The Necropolis under St. Peter's Basilica shines in a new light. Zumtobel implements the lighting concept
Press Release
29/09/2026
Dornbirn , Austria
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The Necropolis under St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is considered one of the holiest places in Christianity thanks to the tomb of St. Peter. In June 2025, it was reopened to the public after extensive enhancement and restoration work and the implementation of a new lighting system. Thanks to the support of the Knights of Columbus, the contribution of Zumtobel and the collaboration with AkzoNobel Powder Coatings and Orion S.A., the ancient burial site is illuminated by an innovative and technologically advanced system.
"It was with great respect and pride that we provided our best lighting solution for this extraordinary project, the redesign of the lighting in the Necropolis of St. Peter, a place of fundamental importance for the Vatican and Christianity," says Alfred Felder, CEO of the Zumtobel Group, describing the task. "It was a great honor for us to be able to demonstrate our expertise in the development of lighting solutions for complex environments and to show the company's extensive experience in the field of lighting places of absolute historical, artistic and cultural value."
Zumtobel expands its activities in the field of lighting for sacred places
With the illumination of the Vatican Necropolis of St. Peter's Basilica, Zumtobel is underlining its expertise in the lighting of sacred sites as a provider of innovative lighting solutions and has been working on projects both inside and outside the Vatican for many years. The company will continue to set new standards in the future: for example, the canopy above the papal altar in St. Peter's Basilica is illuminated with modern LED technology.
Necropolis: ancient burial site of particular significance
For Zumtobel and its partners, the focus was on reimagining the Vatican Necropolis as one of the central locations of the Vatican. Under the technical and scientific supervision of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the project was developed with the collaboration of the Italian lighting designer Prof. Arch. Alessandra Reggiani. Together, a lighting experience was designed to gradually guide visitors down a staircase to the ancient burial site. Descending the staircase leading to the entrance of the Necropolis takes visitors on a journey through time spanning almost 1,700 years, with each step marked by a different colour temperature, ranging from 5,700 K to 2,700 K. This gradually prepares the eyes for the low light levels in the Necropolis.
The focus is on the lighting effect within the space, without the visual presence of the lighting fixtures or the luminance of their light-emitting surfaces causing distraction. The LED light spectrum, with wavelengths specific to the chromatic envelope used in the Necropolis, is crucial to prevent and inhibit the formation of harmful plant microorganisms as a result of Phyto stimulation processes. The plant engineering project was entrusted to Studio Drisaldi Associati, while the installation was carried out by Chiocci Impianti Srl.
To make the Vatican Necropolis accessible during excavations, a reinforced concrete slab was built in the 1940s. This, along with certain foundation works, is the only modern element in the area. The entire lighting infrastructure is suspended from this modern concrete ceiling, allowing the luminaires to be located in the ideal position. In the main corridor (ITER), linear luminaires with “tunableWhite” emission emphasise the historic walls of the mausoleums and tombs, creating a continuous lit effect from top to bottom. Mini-spots and wall washers complement the lighting scheme by accentuating the mosaics and bas-reliefs.
Specially developed powder coating reduces luminance
A key requirement for the lighting solution was to prevent excessive luminance from the luminaire itself. This was made possible thanks to the collaboration with the coating manufacturer AkzoNobel Powder Coatings and the carbon black producer Orion S.A. A special powder coating on the anti-glare louvre in front of the light output surface absorbs most of the spurious light, so that the output surface does not allow the light source to be seen from the viewing angles of visitors. The pigmentation was adjusted in a series of extensive tests so that the luminaires blended harmoniously with their surroundings, both in terms of the colour tone produced and the intensity of light.
“What began as a search for a coating absorbing most of the diffusely reflected light evolved into a journey of experimentation, innovation, and collaboration. Through extensive trials, and combining the powder coatings expertise at AkzoNobel and the carbon black expertise at Orion, the team finally developed a black powder coating that offered the ideal solution,” said Dr. Kai Krauss, Senior Technical Market Manager at Orion S.A.
“For a project of this significance, our focus was on delivering a coating solution precisely tailored to the customer’s technical and aesthetic requirements. Our primary contribution was to ensure reliable, long-term corrosion protection under the extreme humidity conditions of the Necropolis without compromising the integrity of the lighting design. With our Interpon Redox One Coat, we combined performance, durability and visual integration in one coherent solution. The close coordination with Zumtobel and Orion ensured that each area of expertise contributed seamlessly to the overall result,” explains Sanal Limoncuoglu, Commercial Director for South and East Europe, AkzoNobel Powder Coatings.
Extraordinary conditions in an extraordinary place
Due to its underground position and isolation from the outside world, the Vatican Necropolis has a humidity level between 98% and 100% and a constant temperature of around 20 - 25° C. This is not a problem for ancient tombs, but the high humidity meets a challenge for lighting fixtures. Zumtobel therefore opted for durable materials such as stainless steel and aluminum for the housing with a special powder coating to prevent long-term corrosion. The luminaires with their electronic components have a degree of protection against moisture, condensation and dust >IP67. To prevent condensation and moisture penetration, the electronic systems are encapsulated in special resins and sealed.
"Projects of this type most often require a very specific approach and an individual solution that is as unique as the locations themselves. We are very proud to have contributed to giving new light to the Vatican Necropolis for the public enjoyment of absolute beauty. We are looking forward to many more projects with the Vatican City State," explains Matteo Cundari, Managing Director of Zumtobel Italy.