Vatican City, Italy (Enclave of Rome): St. Peter's Basilica: Facade

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Sheppard, Beth M.

Issue Date

May 20, 2017

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Image

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Italy , Vatican City , Rome , St. Peter's Basilica , Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican , Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano , Naves , Sacred Art , Church Art , Basilicas , Basilica Facades , Colonnades , Carlo Maderno

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Multiple photos are associated with this record. Please click the links to view all of the items in the series. The images are of the facade of St. Peter's Basilica. The church was originally designed by architect Bramante as a central plan at the behest of Julius II to be the largest, most magnificent church in Christendom when it was rebuilt in the early 16th century. Raphael and Michelangelo and later architects such as Maderno and Bernini designed and decorated the elongated nave to create a basilica which would hold large numbers of people and focus attention on the altar; therefore, it incorporates both Italian High Renaissance and Baroque sensibilities. It was begun in 1506 and completed in 1626. According to the Catholic Church, the very holy basilica is the burial site of Saint Peter. The photos show the facade, which was designed by Maderno. It was constructed from 1608 to 1614 in travertine stone and features a giant order of Corinthian columns with a central pediment in front of a tall attic that is topped with thirteen statues: Christ, eleven Apostles, and John the Baptist.

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CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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