Museum Собор Святого Петра.
• White tent , shining in the blue sky of Rome ( or in blue, as anyone lucky) - the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral , the main church of the Catholic world , the heart of the Vatican. Lodestar for centuries inexhaustible flow of tourists and pilgrims. Temple 500 years. Almost. Five centuries ago , October 12, 1506 by order of Pope Julius II laid the first stone was in its base. Lit cathedral was only November 18, 1626 , 120 years later.
In its base according to legend tomb of St. Peter, the disciple of Christ , the first bishop of Rome, the head of the Christian church. Tradition says that it was here , at the circus , in the reign of Nero, the apostle was executed. Here, in the year 330 BC. e. Emperor Constantine proclaimed Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire, erected one of the first temples of the new faith. But , at the beginning of the XVI century old St. Peter's Basilica was demolished. Began the era of the great building. Pope revived the " grand style " of Imperial Rome.
• At the time, the heirs to the throne of St. Peter ( equally , and feel themselves successors of the emperors of the strongest states of the ancient world ) dreamed not only of the spiritual power over the world , but also about the secular. And this council was meant to become a symbol of the triumph of the church. The earthly incarnation of its power. Built not just a temple. Created the eighth wonder of the world, which was not easy to catch up with the wonders of antiquity, but also outshine them.
• Several popes and many architects after the temple was built. Name the author of the cathedral is not possible. It is not. Neither project was not implemented fully. Building, decorating the main square of the Vatican today , the result of joining several different projects architects two eras. Renaissance and Baroque.
The first draft of the citadel of the Catholic world belongs Donato Bramante. His inherited Rafael. After the death of the master of Urbino construction headed by Antonio da Sangallo , substantially edited draft Bramante ( Rafael actually left it unchanged ) according to contemporaries the better. Construction progressed slowly. Lacked funds. One of the methods for their preparation has been to increase the amount of selling indulgences. What was the reason and one reason for the Reformation. So , creating a monument inviolability of its power, the pontiffs provoked rebellion against it. And in 1527 , after the sack of Rome troops Spanish King Charles V, and , concurrently, the Holy Roman Emperor , and all construction stopped. In 1535 the unfinished temple was more like ancient ruins, than the main church of the Catholic world.
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