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St. Peter's Basilica Research Paper

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The Renaissance was a time of great achievement, and St. Peter’s Basilica includes many features that make it one of the greatest churches in the world. The church was originally built around the time of ancient Rome, but after a fire left it permanently damaged, the church was rebuilt during the Renaissance in the year 1506. During the reconstruction, the well-known artist, Michelangelo, was the head architect responsible for rebuilding the church. Because the Renaissance marked the birth of new ideas, many forgotten architectural styles were integrated into the church. St. Peter's Basilica perfectly represents the architectural styles of the Renaissance period because of Michelangelo's style, techniques, and perspective. The Renaissance …show more content…

Paul’s Cathedral includes the same style architecture as St. Peter’s Basilica, and uses the same techniques in the design. The British architect, designed the building, and construction started in 1675 and was finished in 1708. “St. Paul’s Cathedral has a three-dome structure. This allows the inner dome to rise in proportion to the internal architecture and the outer dome to be much larger and impressive. It is this outer dome shell that is prominent on the London skyline” (“Climb the Dome”). Like that of St. Peter’s Basilica, the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral tops off the church and is the most notable feature of the church. The dome is about 111.3 meters high and weighs approximately 65,000 pounds, so it is not as big as St. Peter’s Basilica; however, it is still one of the largest cathedral domes in the world (“Climb the Dome”). Both of these buildings are notorious for their domes, one of the most notable architectural details used during the Renaissance. St. Paul’s Cathedral also includes three galleries that decorate the inside of the dome leading to its peak. They are referred to as, “…Whispering gallery, just inside the dome…” (“St. Paul’s Cathedral”). St. Peter’s Basilica also uses these decorations underneath its dome, and they are set in place to give the churches a grand look that will stand out to visitors. St. Paul’s Cathedral, uses Renaissance architecture in the same ways that it is used on St. Peter’s Basilica, proving that these two …show more content…

The famous goldsmith Filippo Brunelleschi designed the Florence Cathedral. Like the previous piece, the Florence Cathedral features one of the most incredible architectural accomplishments in history. When the cathedral was originally built, it had a large hole on the roof, so Brunelleschi was tasked with designing a dome to top off the cathedral. Before St. Peter’s Basilica, the Florence Cathedral was the largest dome in the world standing at about 375 feet above pavement (Ducker). The dome of the Florence Cathedral was a considerable challenge, because it was one of the first domes to be built since the days the Romans ruled over Europe. However, Brunelleschi was able to overcome these difficulties, and create the dome: “What we know for sure is that another candidate, a short, homely, and hot-tempered goldsmith named Filippo Brunelleschi, promised to build not one but two domes, one nested inside the other, without elaborate and expensive scaffolding” (Mueller). His idea to use this method enabled him and his crew of workers, to accomplish a task that seemed impossible at the time. The Florence Cathedral, had an octagonal shape, and had less façade due to its immense proportions. In the time of the Renaissance, most of the churches were

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