Comparing The Tempietto And Saint Peter's Basilica

Saint Peter’s Basilica was initially designed by Donatoe Bramante in full masonry. An Italian architect, Bramante already had immense credit for building the Tempietto, in 1506. The Tempietto was a precursor to Saint Peter’s but is regarded as an usher of early High Renaissance. Both the Tempietto and Saint Peter’s Basilica use a central plan. Bramante did not want the Basilica to have a dome and wanted it to keep it just like his Tempietto. But, Bramante died before it was completed. Michelangelo took on the job in 1546 and introduced a simplified Greek plan with the actual dome. The transition between these plans are very apparent. Whereas Bramante’s drawings focused on the sharp-edged and the square outlines, Michelangelo’s pillars and walls were more …show more content…
Its awe-inspiring, tremendous presence was due to Michelangelo’s idea to make it bigger than the Pantheon in terms of height. 40 years after Michelangelo’s death, Carlo Maderno, a dynamic architect with various famous architect ancestors, became appointed to redesign Saint Peter’s Basilica. His plans for a Latin cross plan, and subsequently a nave, and façade were accepted by the church committee. However, it is apparent that the façade was rushed; it looks too broad to view the dome, and too restricted to show artistic details. However, like all façades it was created as grand as possible to show off the Church’s power. Furthermore, the nave was a positive addition because it added three bays to Michelangelo’s single bay Greek Cross and made the Basilica much bigger. To add on to the Churches powerfully gorgeous vibe, a piazza was added in 1656 by Bernini, one of the best sculptors of the 17th century. He made it right outside the Basilica and was a trapezoidal opening that narrowed as you got further from the church. This gave the effect that the building looked nearer than it was, and the façade looked taller and less