CIVIL ARCHITECTURE. 



635 



Fnctice. 



Si Peter'* 

 at Rome. 



PttTF 



CLXXIV. 



Bramante. 



Feruzzi. 



Michael 

 Angelo. 



signi and instructions, and which were finished in 1 456. 

 From the pavement to the bottom of the cupola the 

 height is 277 feet, the diameter of the dome is 133 feet, 

 and it rises about four-fifths of this diameter. It is of 

 an octagonal form, and consists of two shells with a space 

 between them, the tapering being very gradual. It was 

 built without the aid of scaffolding. We have no account 

 of the manner in which the two shells were connected, or 

 what security it derived from hooping, though it is pro- 

 bable that precautions of this nature were adopted, after 

 the practicability of the scheme had been so strongly dis- 

 puted. The complete success, however, had acquired 

 the architect so much respect, that he was interred with- 

 in the edifice, and honoured with a public funeral. The 

 general outline of the cathedral is in the form of a Latin 

 cross. The nave and side aisles, which are divided by 

 large piers, taken together, compose a parallelogram ; 

 the terminations of the transept and chancel are external- 

 ly semi-octagons. These, by diminishing as they ascend, 

 and having their vaulted roofs abutting against the sides 

 of the walls which bear the dome, are judicious supports, 

 and contain the elements of the flying buttresses after- 

 wards adopted in Gothic structures. The neck of the 

 dome rising perpendicularly for upwards of 50 feet above 

 the top of these vaults, the interior of the dome and space 

 below, are from thence lighted by means of a circular 

 window placed in each side of the octagon, at about half 

 the before mentioned height ; this prevents the necessity 

 of their being placed in the dome, and thereby destroying 

 the simplicity of its outlines. 



The next specimen we have selected, is the cathedral of 

 St Peter's at Rome, erected in place of that which had been 

 built by Constantine, in 32-t, upon the circus of Nero : 

 A plan and elevation will be found in Plate CLXXIV. 

 This is not only the most magnificent Christian temple, 

 but in magnitude of outlines, and variety of parts, far 

 exceeds any of the edifice* constructed by the Greeks 

 or Romans ; and although the ground plan does not oc- 

 cupy a space quite equal in extent to that of Karnac, in 

 the Egyptian Thebaid, yet the having about six times 

 its elevation, gives to the Christian temple a decided su- 

 periority. The extreme length of St Peter's is 720 feet ; 

 the breadth 510 feet; and the height from the pavement 

 to the top of the cross, 500 feet. 



The design was made by Bramante of Urbino, in con- 

 sequence of directions from Pope Julius II. ; this pontiff 

 having resolved to pull down the old church, and in its 

 place to construct another to surpass every thing of the 

 kind then extant. The architect, zealous to accomplish 

 io magnificent a project, formed various design?, espe- 

 cially one, in which the front was placed between two 

 steeples, and with a dome resembling that of the Pan- 

 theon, both externally and internally, as represented in 

 medals made by the celebrated Caradossa, and struck un- 

 der Julius II. and Leo X. But the insulated temple 

 built by Bramante without the walls of Todi, in the 

 dnchy of Spoleto, in the fortn of a Greek cross, with 

 a beautiful cupola in the middle, appears to have bten 

 the medel of St Peter's. This great work was begun 

 with much zeal and industry in 1506, but suffered a se- 

 rious interruption by the death of both the Pope and 

 architect, which to< k place in 1514. The work was 

 however resumed and continued, under the direction of 

 twelve architects, for 135 years. The plan was consi- 

 derably varied under Leo. X. by Baldassar Peruzzi j and 

 many parts of the elevation, and the whole of the dome 

 and cupola, as executed, were designed by the celebrat- 

 ed Michael Angelo Buonarotti. This edifice, therefore, 

 2 



contains the best specimens of design of the ablest ar- 

 chitects who flourished during a period in which the re- 

 vived Roman style was carried to the highest perfection 

 which it reached in Italy. A full description of this 

 magnificent edifice will be found in the superb work of 

 Carlo Fontano ; the plan and elevation we have given be- 

 ing carefully and minutely made, will afford a distinct idea. 

 of the style and arrangement, both externally and inter- 

 nally. We shall therefore here confine ourselves to some 

 general observations respecting them. 



In the plan the great western entrance bears some re- 

 semblance to that of the Temple of Peace, having seven 

 passages into a porch 230 feet long and 4-0 feet wide ; 

 the areas of the nave, choir, and transept, form a perfect 

 Latin cross ; the space which encompasses the plan of the 

 dome, with its supporting piers, forms a square, having 

 a small circle at each angle, the whole being admirably 

 disposed for simplicity, strength, and magnificence ; the 

 side aisles, instead of being each of consequence when 

 taken lengthwise, seem rather to consist of a number of 

 distinct chapels, ranged along each side of the nave ; but 

 the whole interior of the fabric is so completely occupi- 

 ed by pilasters, columns, recesses, and niches, that no- 

 thing is left imperfect ; and the breadth of the ground 

 plan being so great in proportion to its length, conveys 

 an idea of stability. The dome forms nearly an ellipsoid 

 on the exterior, rising vertically from the base, and at 

 about the height of 50 feet branches into two thin 

 vaults, separating gradually as they rise ; thin partitions 

 are dove-tailed into each shell to connect the two to- 

 gether, so that the whole is rendered at once light and 

 firm. 



Externally in the elevation, as viewed from the west- 

 ward, the height to the summit of the dome, (which in- 

 cludes the apparent mass of building) exceeding only in 

 a small degree the breadth of the western faide, and the 

 height to the top of the cross bearing the same relation to 

 the bread that the transept does, bring the outlines of the 

 whole mass nearly within an equilateral triangle, and 

 thereby convey an idea of stability, equal to the before 

 mentioned proportions of the general plan. 



A building composed of columns and pilasters 9 feet 

 diatm-ter, and the whole order upwards of 100 feet high 

 upon a facade of 400 feet, and of nearly double that 

 extent when taken in perspective as far as the transept, 

 is certainly one of the most imposing objects which art 

 has accomplished ; a dome resting upon a pedestal, en- 

 compassed by a colonnade 50 feet high, having its base 

 elevated 200 feet above the surface of the earth, also 

 commands an equal degree of admiration ; for the extent 

 of the outlines rivals the Egyptian pyramid, and the skill 

 displayed in the construction far exceeds any thing con- 

 nected with these enormous heaps of almost rude stones. 

 But while we admit, in the fullest manner, the merits of 

 this magnificent work, we consider it our duty to notice 

 defects, which appear to lessen the effect which it might 

 have produced. 



To those accustomed to examine the outlines of the 

 fa9ade of the Greek temple, the portico of the Panthe- 

 on at Rome, or of the square house at Nismes in France, 

 and who have considered the associations they produce 

 upon the principles so justly defined by Mr Alison in 

 his Essay upon Taste, it will be evident, that the mul- 

 tiplicity of breaks io the western facade destroy the 

 simplicity of the horizontal lines of the entablature, 

 which ought to represent wooden beams ; the mind is 

 perplexed in determining how timber could be worked 

 or connected in this manner, and is provoked to observe 



Practice. 



Great en- 

 trance re- 

 t eemble 

 the Temple 

 of l*ece. 



Interior 

 well ditr 

 pose*. 



Dome. 



External 



outlines. 



General re- 



marts. 



Defect*. 



Too irunj 

 brclu, 



