2001
St. Peter's
St. Peter's
The original shrine to St. Peter was erected in the 2nd
century, and the first great basilica, ordered by the Emperor Constantine
was
completed around 349AD. By the 15th century it was falling down, so in
1506 Pope Julius II laid the first stone of a new church
that took more than a
century to build. The vast basilica's 615-foot long, marble-encrusted interior
contains 11 chapels and 45 altars.
Baldacchino
Much of the elaborate decoration is owed to Bernini's work in
the mid-17th century, including this canopy
of gilded bronze, supported on spiral columns 66 feet high, which was
commissioned by Pope Urban VIII
in 1624. The baldacchino sits directly below the 448-foot high dome,
designed by Michelangelo.
Tomb of Maria Clementina Sobieski
Filippo Barigioni designed this sentimentally expressive
18th-century monument
to Maria Clementina, the wife of James Stuart, the Old Pretender.
Vatican Museums
Apollo del Belvedere
This Roman copy of a Greek statue of the sun god Apollo perfectly embodies the ideals of Classical beauty.
Laocoön
This 1st-century AD marble group depicts the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons struggling with two snakes.
Raphael Rooms
Pope Julius II's private apartments were built above those of
his hated predecessor, Alexander IV, one of the Borgias who died in 1503.
Julius
was impressed by Raphael's work and chose him to redecorate the four
rooms. Raphael and his pupils began the task in 1508, replacing
existing
works by several better-known artists, including Raphael's own teacher,
Perugino. The work took over 16 years, and Raphael
himself died before its
completion. The frescoes express religious and philosophical ideals of the
Renaissance.
Room of the Segnatura
The Dispute over the Holy Sacrament, the first
fresco completed by Raphael for Pope Julius, represents the triumph
of religion and spiritual truth. The consecrated host is shown in the
center of the painting. This links the group
of learned scholars, who discuss its significance, to the Holy Trinity and the saints
floating on the clouds up above.
Room of the Fire in the Borgo
Finished by two of Raphael's assistants between 1514 and
1517, following their master's own plans, The Fire in the Borgo (detail
shown), celebrates
the miracle that took place in 847, when Pope Leo IV extinguished a fire raging
in the Borgo by making the sign of the cross.
Sistine Chapel: The Walls
The walls of the Sistine Chapel were frescoed by some
of the finest artists of the 15th and 16th centuries. The 12 paintings on
the side walls,
by artists including Perugino, Ghirlandaio, Botticelli and Signorelli, show
parallel episodes from the life of Moses and Christ. The decoration
of the chapel walls was completed between 1534 and 1541 by Michelangelo, who
added the great altar wall fresco, The Last Judgment.
The Sermon on the Mount by Rosselli.
Commissioned by Pope Paul Farnese III, Michelangelo's The Last Judgment is considered to be the masterpiece
of his mature years. Michelangelo worked alone on the fresco for seven years. The painting depicts
the souls
of the dead rising up to face the wrath of God. A subject that is rarely used for altar decoration;
the pope chose it as a warning to Catholics to
adhere to their faith in the turmoil of the Reformation.
Sistine Chapel: The Ceiling
The ceiling was frescoed by Michelangelo for Pope
Julius II between 1508 and 1512. The main panels,
which chart the Creation of the World
and Fall of Man, are surrounded by subjects from
the Old and
New Testaments - except for the Classical Sibyls who are said to have foreseen
the birth of Christ.
From left to right, the center panels depict scenes from
Genesis: (1) God Dividing Light from Darkness; (2) Creation of the Sun and Moon;
(3) Separating Waters from Land; (4) Creation of Adam;
(5) Creation of Eve; (6) Original Sin; (7) Sacrifice of Noah; (8) The Deluge;
(9) Drunkenness of
Noah. The bottom panels depict the Classical Sibyls, the Prophets and ancestors
of Christ: (10) Libyan Sibyl; (11) Parents of Jesse;
(12) Daniel; (13) Asa with Parents;
(14) Cumaean Sibyl; (15) Hezekiah with Parents; (16) Isaiah; (17) Josiah with
Parents; (18) Delphic Sibyl.
Move the mouse over each panel for a description, and click on it for an
enlarged picture.
Spiral Ramp
The stairway up to the museums was designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932.
Castel Sant'Angelo
Castel Sant'Angelo
The massive fortress of Castel Sant'Angelo takes its name
from the statue of Archangel of Michael on its summit. It began in AD139
as the
Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum, but has had many roles since then. The bridge
leading to the fortress features statues of angels by Bernini.
Forum and Palatine
Arch of Septimus Severus
This triumphal arch was erected in AD203 to celebrate the
tenth anniversary of the accession of Septimus Severus. The relief
panels - largely eroded - celebrate the emperor's victories in Parthia
(modern-day Iraq and Iran) and Arabia.
Colosseum
The Colosseum was commissioned by the Emperor Vespasian in
AD72 on the marshy site of a lake in the grounds of Nero's palace,
the Domus Aurea. Deadly gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights were
staged free of charge by the emperor and
wealthy citizens for public viewing: 80 arched entrances allowed easy access for
55,000 spectators.
Il Vittoriano
Known as Il Vittoriano, the Victor Emmanuel Monument was
begun in 1885 and inaugurated
in 1925 in honor of Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy, the first king of a unified
Italy.
Capitoline Museums: Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo
Statue of Marcus Aurelius
In the Piazza del Campidoglio, outside the museums, is a replica of a statue of Marcus Aurelius. The original in in the Palazzo Nuovo.
The Horatii and Curatii - D'Arpino
The Horatii and Curatii was painted by D'Arpino in
1613 and depicts a duel taken from an
early Roman legend. In the foreground is a statue of the head of
Constantine II.
Spinario
From the 1st century BC, this statue depicts a boy trying to remove a thorn from his foot.
The Rape of the Sabines - Pietro da Cortona
Pietro Berrettini da Cortona (1596-1669), painter and
architect, was one of the founders of the Roman High Baroque, comparable with
Bernini in sculpture. His first works which include The
Rape of the Sabines were painted for the Sacchetti family who were his
patrons.
Quirinal and Around Piazza della Rotonda
Pantheon
Emperor Hadrian (reigned AD118-125) designed the Pantheon to
replace an earlier temple built by Marcus Agrippa, son-in-law
of Augustus. The rotunda's height and diameter are equal: 140 feet.
The opening at the top of the dome, the oculus, provided
the only light. The dome was cast by pouring concrete mixed with tufa and
pumice over a temporary wooden frame. The hollow,
decorative coffers reduced the dome's weight. In the Middle Ages,
the Pantheon, the Roman "temple of the gods," became a church.
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj
The family collection in the Doria Pamphilj gallery has over
400 paintings dating from the
15th to the 18th century, including Caravaggio's Rest During the Flight to Egypt.
Sant'Ignazio di Loyola
The church of Sant'Ignazio di Loyola was built by Pope
Gregory XV in 1626 in honor of St. Ignatius of Loyola,
founder of the Society of
Jesus, and the man who most embodied the zeal of the Counter-Reformation.
Together with the Gesù, Sant'Ignazio forms the center of the Jesuit area in
Rome.
Andrea Pozzo painted the Baroque ceiling in 1685 to celebrate St. Ignatius and the Jesuit order.
Column of Marcus Aurelius
Possibly an imitation of the Column of Trajan, this monument
was erected after the death of Marcus Aurelius
in AD180 to commemorate his victories over the barbarian tribes of the Danube.
Gesù
Dating from between 1568 and 1584, the Gesù was the first
Jesuit church to be built in Rome. Its design epitomizes
Counter Reformation Baroque architecture. On the nave ceiling is Il
Baciccia's fresco of the Triumph of the Name of Jesus.
Together with Sant'Ignazio, the Gesù forms the center of the Jesuit area in
Rome.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is a relatively recent creation designed
by Nicola Salvi, and completed in 1762. The
central figures are Neptune, flanked by two Tritons. One struggles to
master a very unruly "sea-horse",
the other leads a far more docile animal. These symbolize the two
contrasting moods of the sea.
Around Piazza di Spagna
Spanish Steps
In the 17th century the French owners of Trinità dei Monti
decided to link the church with the Piazza di Spagna by building a magnificent
new flight of steps. They also planned to place an equestrian statue of
King Louis XIV at the top. Pope Alexander VII Chigi was not
happy at the prospect of erecting a statue of a French monarch in the papal
city, and the arguments continued until the 1720s, when
an Italian architect, Francesco de Sanctis produced a design that satisfied both
parties. The steps were completed in 1726.
Sant'Andrea delle Fratte
Originally built in the 12th century, the Sant'Andrea delle Fratte
was completely rebuilt in the 17th century, partly by
Borromini. The angels were carved by Bernini, Borromini's rival, for the
Ponte Sant'Angelo, but Pope Clement IX declared
they were too lovely to be outside, so they remained with Bernini's family until
1729, when they were moved to the church.
Santa Maria del Popolo
The early Renaissance church of Santa Maria del Popolo was
commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere in 1472.
Among the artists who worked on the building were Andrea Bregno and
Pinturicchio. Later additions were made
by Bramante and Bernini. Many illustrious families have chapels here,
including the Chigi and Cerasi families.
This floor mosaic of the figure of death was added to the Chigi Chapel in the 17th century.
The Crucifixion of St. Peter is one of two Caravaggios in the Cerasi Chapel.
Around Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona
This Baroque piazza follows the shape of Domitian's stadium,
which once stood on the site. In the
17th century Bernini created the Fontana dei Quattro Flumi, with its symbolic
figures of the River Ganges.
Palazzo Alltemps
The palazzo was originally built fro Girolamo Riario, nephew
of Pope Sixtus IV in 1480. In 1568 the palazzo was bought by
Cardinal Marco Sittico Alltemps. In the Salone del Camino is the statue Galata's
Suicide, a marble copy of a group originally cast in bronze.
San Luigi dei Francesi
The French national church was founded in 1518, but took
until 1589 to complete with contributions by Giacomo della Porta and
Domenico Fontana. The church serves as a resting place for many
illustrious French people, including Chateaubriand's lover Pauline de Beaumont.
St. Matthew and the Angel is one of three Caravaggio's
hanging in the chapel dedicated to St. Matthew. Painted between 1597 and
1602,
these were Caravaggio's first great religious works. The other two
paintings are the Calling of St. Matthew and the Martyrdom of St.
Matthew.
Lateran
San Giovanni in Laterano
Early in the 4th century, the Laterani family were disgraced
and their land taken by Emperor Constantine to build Rome's first Christian
basilica. Today's
church retains the original shape, but has been destroyed by fire twice and
rebuilt several times. Borromini undertook the last major rebuild of the
interior in 1646. The Gothic baldacchino picture here, decorated with
frescoes, dates from the 14th century. Only the Pope can celebrate mass at
this altar.
San Clemente
San Clemente, dating from the 12th century, is dedicated to
St. Clement, the fourth Pope, who was exiled to Crimea and
martyred by being tied to an anchor and drowned. The Triumph of the
Cross apse mosaic dates from the 12th century.
Trastevere and Janiculum
Santa Maria in Trastevere
According to legend, the church was founded by Pope Callixtus
I in the 3rd century, when Christianity was
still a minority culture. Today's church is largely a 12th-century
building with stunning mosaics,
in particular those created by Pietro Cavallini in 1291 (pictured here), which
depict the Life of the Virgin.
Villa Farnesina
The wealthy Sienese banker Agostino Chigi, who had
established the headquarters of his far-flung financial
empire in Rome. commissioned the villa in 1508 from his compatriot Baldassarre
Peruzzi. In 1577
the villa was bought by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese; since then it has been
known as the Villa Farnesina.