SAINT PETER
371
SAINT PETER
was completed when he died. But in the years which
followed the present dome, a sublime masterpiece of
unsurpassed beauty, was constructed in accordance
with his designs. The faithfulness with which, after
the great master's death (1546), Giacomo della Porta
continued the building of the dome in accordance with
Michelangelo's intentions should be especially em-
phasized. The building might have been completed
at the beginning of the following century if in 1606
Paul V had not decided to carry out the form of the
Latin cross. During the twenty years which fol-
lowed Carlo Maderna constructed the present by no
means unobjectionable facade and Bernini wasted
time and money in adorning the front with bell-towers,
which for artistic reasons had to be removed, in so far
as he had completed them. At length on 18 Novem-
ber, 1626, Urban VIII solemnly dedicated the church,
of which the actual construction, excepting certain
unimportant details, may be considered as completed.
Three clearly defined stages in the construction of St.
Peter's must therefore be distinguished: (1) Bra-
mante's Greek cross with the dome; (2) Michelangelo,
a Greek cross with dome, and in addition a ves-
tibule with a portico of columns; (3) Paul V, a Latin
cross with Baroque fii^ade. The longer they built
the more they spoiled the original magnificent plans,
so that the effect of the exterior as a whole is unsatis-
factory. The princij)le mistake lies naturally in the
fact that the unsuitable extension of the nave conceals
the dome from one observing the basilica from a near
point of view. Only at a considerable distance is
Michelangelo's genial creation in its pure and beauti-
ful design revealed to the astonished observer. All
the external walls are constructed of splendid traver-
tine, now become gold in colour, which even in bright
sunlight gives a quiet, harmonious effect.
Architecture. — Slatintics. — The construction of St. Peter's, in so far as the church itself is concerned, was concluded within a period of 176 years (1450-1626). The cost of construction including all the additions of the seventeenth century amounted to about $48,000,- 000. The yearly cost of maintenance of the gigantic building, including the annexes (sacristy and colon- nades), amounts to $39,500, a sum that is only ex- ceeded when actual renewals of the artistic features (such as gilding, repairing the pavement, and ex- tensive marble work on the pilasters) become neces- sary. The basihca is endowc'd with extensive proper- tics at Rome, wide landed possessions in Middle Italy, and other capital from the income of which the entire support of the Divine Service, the clergy, and the large number of employees, as well as the costs of the building requirements are derived. In accordance with the most reliable contemporary calculations, those of Carlo Fontana, the proportions of the build- ing are as follows: height of the nave, 151-5 feet; width of the same at the entrance, 90-2 feet; at the tribune, 78-7 feet; length of the transepts in interior, 451 feet; entire length of the basilica including the vestibule, 693-8 feet. From the pavement of the church (measured from the Confession) to the oculus of the lantern resting upon the dome the height is 404 8 feet, to the summit of the cross surmounting the lantern, 434-7 feet. The measurements of the in- terior diameter of the dome vary somewhat, being generally computed at 137-7 feet, thus exceeding the dome of the Pantheon by a span of 4-9 feet. The surface area of St. Peter's is 163,182-2 sq. feet. Comparative measurements. — Length of St. Paul's, London, 520-3 feet; Cathedral of Florence, 490-4; Ca- thedral of Milan, 444.2; Basilica of St. Paul, Rome, 419-2; St. Sophia, Constantinople, 354. Surface area: Milan, 90,482 sq. ft.; St. Paul's, London, 84,766.5; St. Sophia, 74,163; Cologne, 66,370-8; Ant- werp, 53,454. The vestibule of the basilica is 232-9 feet wide, 44-2 deep, and 91-8 high. On the facade are five portals; in the chapel of the Blessed Sacra-
ment is a door which leads directly into the Apostolic
Palace; in the choir chapel and in the vestibule of
the left transept are doors leading to the .sacristy, be-
sides which there are four others generally used for
building and administrative purposes. Besides the
two low galleries for the singers in the choir chapel,
there are four others of restricted size in the piers of
the dome. In addition to the principal altar in the
tribune and the four altars in the crypts, the basihca
contains twenty-nine altars, under most of which bodies
of saints, including several of the Apostles, repose.
Annex Buildings. — The colonnades which enclose the most beautiful pubHc place in the world, the Pi- azza di S. Pietro, form an organic part of the basilica. Constructed in 1667 by Bernini, they surround the piazza in elliptical form, the major axis 1115-4 feet, the minor axis 787-3 feet. For the construction of the colonnades and the equipment of the Piazza di S. Pietro about a million doUars were expended. "The covered colonnades which consist of four rows of columns in the Doric style form three passages, the central one of which is the width of an ordinary wagon road. The 248 columns and 88 pilasters are entirely of travertine. Adjoining the elliptical place is a square one which diminishes in extent towards the church. Its sides consist of extensive corridors, of which the one on the right belongs to the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. The colonnades and corri- dors are surmounted by 162 figures of saints after de- signs by Bernini. In the middle of the ellipse towers the celebrated obelisk of Heliopohs. Its removal to the present site took place in 1586. On both sides of the obelisk are two beautiful fountains 45-9 feet in height. The obeUsk is 836 feet high, and weighs 360-2 tons. Its apex is adorned with a bronze cross contain- ing a fragment of the True Cross. The irregular quad- rangle between the ellipse and the basilica is for the most part occupied by the monumental stairway and its approach, which lead pilgrims to the liigher level of the church. The area of this approach alone is greater than that of most churches of Christendom. The sacristy of St. Peter's, the house of the canons and beneficiaries, as well as the papal hospice of Santa Marta are connected with the basilica by two covered pa.ssages. The sacristy, which contains very remark- able art treasures, was built in 1775 under Pius VI by Carlo Marchione. The Palazzina, which stands on the Piazza di Santa Marta behind the basilica, be- longs directly to St. Peter's. It is for the time being the official residence of the archpriest of St. Peter's, who is always a cardinal.
Description of the Basilica. — As may be seen in the accompanying plan, the four principal divisions of the basilica extend from the dome and are connected with each other by passages behind the dome piers. To the right and the left of the nave lie the smaller and lower aisles, the right of which is bordered by four lateral chapels, the left by three chapels and the pas- sage to the roof. The general decoration consists of coloured marble incrustations, stucco figures, rich gilding, mosaic decoration, and marble figures on the pilasters, ceihng, and walls. The panelling of the pave- ment in geometric figures is of coloured marble after the designs of Giacomo della Porta and Bernini. The extremely long sweep of the nave is closed by the precious bronze baldachino 95 feet high, which Urban VI caused to be erected by Bernini in 1633. Beneath it is the Confession of St. Peter, where the body of the Prince of Apostles reposes. No chairs or pews obstruct the view; the eye roves freely over the glitter- ing surface of the marble pavement, where there is room for thousands of people.
The centre of the entire structure is the tomb of St. Peter (see Confession; Saint Peter, Tomb of). Very interesting also are the high altar in the tribune, enclosing the chair of the Prince of Apostlea, and the mighty slab of porphyry upon which the
