- The Mosaic Studio of the Fabric of Saint Peter (Studio del Mosaico Vaticano; Fabbrica di San Pietro; Atelier de mosaique de la Fabrique de Saint-Pierre; Dombauh黷te von St. Peter).- Here is the world's largest supply of tesserae in some 28 000 hues. Inside the almost silent studio; a handful of artists wearing lab coat-style smocks over their clothes; sit at individual workstations. Each nook is equipped with an easel and is littered with stacks of books and wooden trays filled with piles of tiny; colored glass tiles; which are made on site in nearly 28;000 different colors. To create the mosaics; each artist cuts his or her own tiles and uses tweezers to place each glass piece into a plaster base;the same manual method that mosaic artists have used for several centuries.- Since the 18th century; the studio has been responsible for restoring and preserving the centuries-old mosaics inside St. Peter's Basilica. They are also responsible for creating specially commissioned pieces for private buyers; as well as mosaics that will be given by the Pope to visiting dignitaries. (the Vatican-made mosaics can set buyers back anywhere from 3;000 to 20;000 Euros on average ).- Since 1523 the Fabric of Saint Peter is an institution of the Roman Catholic Church responsible for the conservation and maintenance of St. Peter's Basilica (basilique Saint-Pierre; Petersdom) and exercising vigilance over its sacred character and the organization of visitors. Saint Peter's basilica. Vatican. 2020.