St. Peter's Basilica
Title
St. Peter's Basilica
Date
1547-1590
Identifier
7631
Alternative Title or Name
San Pietro
Creator
Buonarroti, Michelangelo
Creator2
Porta, Giacomo della
Creator Nationality
Italian
Work Type
architectural elements
Work Location
Italy (nation)
Rome (inhabited place)
Style/Period
Renaissance
Subject
domes (architectural elements)
basilicas
Description
View of the exterior of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy. "Michelangelo designed a dome that would actually dwarf the nearby Pantheon. It would be smaller than the Pantheon in diameter, but stand much, much higher. Made almost entirely of heavy masonry, the dome stretches 138 feet in diameter and rises 452 feet above the street. To support such a giant dome, builders placed three iron rings within the masonry of the dome. But even the rings couldn't hold back the outward thrust of tension; significant cracks eventually developed around the dome's base. By the early 18th century, the cracks became serious enough for Vatican engineers to add several more tension rings as an emergency fix,"--Wonders of the World Databank, PBS Online.
Measurements
138 feet in diameter; 452 feet high
Reproduction Type
jpeg
Copyright Statement
©2013 Lawrence Technological University. These images may be used for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes without the explicit permission of LTU.
ID Number
N1ITROM2-21546E4B2
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