St Peter's Basilica

An engraving by Agostino Veneziano depicting St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City after 1506, when Donato Bramante was commissioned by Julius II to begin his new architectural project for the Basilica. This circular print is lettered around the border: "TEMPLI PETRI INSTAVRACIO. MCCCCCVI"; at the bottom centre: "VATICANVS", signed with the letters "A.V." and dated with the year "1517" below the church.

Raphael was appointed architect director of the St Peter's workshop in 1514, following the death of Bramante, who had been in charge of the architectural plans c.1505-1506, together with Giuliano da Sangallo and later Fra Giocondo, a renowned theorist at the time. Baldassarre Peruzzi was also involved with the workshop, possibly from the time of Bramante as an assistant, but certainly as the chief architect together with Antonio da Sangallo, after the death of Raphael (see Bibliographic References). In 1546 Michelangelo became the architect and also designed a new dome, the construction of which continued for some decades after Michelangelo's death in 1564. The Basilica - completed with the project led by Carlo Maderno, chief architect from 1603 - was finally consecrated in 1626. Bernini worked on the square and the colonnade later in the seventeen century.