From the front of the church, and commencing at the extremities of the porch, project two corridors, one on each side, in such a manner as to approach nearer and nearer to each other as they recede from the facade of the building, and enclosing a space of ground or area in the form of a trape zoid, the length of which from east to west measures 400 feet. From the western extremity of each of these corridors, is carried a semicircular colonnade, which is surmounted by an entablature and balustrade, crowned at regular intervals by statues. The a -ea thus enclosed is 650 feet lung from north to south, and 500 feet from east to west ; in its centre is a large Egyptian obelisk of black marble, and on each side of it a large fountain. The trapezoidal area con tains the steps to the cathedral.
The original design for this cathedral was furnished by Bramante, but was altered by almost every architect employed upon the building, so that he cannot lay claim to the design of it as executed. Bramante commenced the erection, but did not proceed for with the work, the body of the church being erected by Peruzzi and San Gallo ; the dome by _Michael Angelo and Fontana ; the nave and west facade by Carlo Maderno; and the colonnades by Bernini. plan was originally designed as a Latin cross, which was changed into a Greek cross by Michael Angelo, and again into the Latin form by Carlo Maderno.
The following dimensions of the cathedral and its several parts may be found useful, especially in the comparison of this and our cathedral of St. Paul, the dimensions of which are given in a parallel column.
The Plan.—Length and Breadth.
St. Peter's. St. Paul's.
The whole length of the church and Ft. Ft.
porch 729 . . 500 The breadth within the doors of the will give a just ratio between the size or capacity of the building, and the quantity of material employed in its con struction.
St. Peter's. St. Paul's. St. Mary, Florence.
Ft. Ft. Ft.
Area on plan °"7,069 .. 84,025 .. 84,802 Do. of points of support 59,:308 . . 14,311 .. 17,030 Ratio of areas . . . 1.0861. . 1:0170 .. 1:0201 Sectional area at tran septs S,3"_5:10000. . 6,865:10000 .. 8,855:10000 We shall have to speak more particularly about St. Paul's presently, but must now return to examples to be found at porno.
The great Farnese palace is probably one of the finest specimens of Italian palatial architecture in existence, and covers an area of :256 feet, by 185 feet, the height of the building measuring 177 feet. The material or the walls is brick, with the exception of the dressings, which are of Travertine stone. The edifice is three stories in height, each
of which contains a range of thirteen windows, with the exception of the first, where the place of one is occupied by a doorway ; those on the first story are of a rectangular form, with architrave, and horizontal cornice, supported by ancones, or corbels on either side of the window. The doorway is semicircular-headed, with prominent x-oussoirs. The windows in the next story are of a more ornamental character, being still of the rectangular form, but having pediments alternately triangular and segmental ; the jambs, also, are decorated with columns. In the uppermost story, the windows have semi circular heads, with columns and triangular pediments. The stories are separated by impost cornices, and the entire build ing crowned by a boldly projecting cornice. in the interior quadrangle, the building surrounds a court 88 feet square, and presents a very different appearance to the exterior, being divided vertically into arcades. The lower arcade is of the Doric order, and is supported on piers whose sides are adorned with Doric columns, and which sustains an entabla ture enriched with triglyphs, &e. The upper arcade is of the Ionic order.
The Palazzo Giraud at Home is by Bramante, and consists of a range of building enclosing a quadrangle 89 feet square, the external measurements being :249 feet by 190 feet. The front elevation contains three stories, all of which are rusti cated, the lowermost by both horizontal and vertical grooves, but the upper by horizontal grooves only. In the centre is a semicircular-headed door, with horizontal cornice, and on each side of it three square windows. in the second story, the piers between the windows are ornamented with coupled pilasters, similar to those of the Corinthian order, standing on high plinths, which again rest on a podium extending all along the building, but broken under the pilasters. The pilasters support a simple entablature, and between them arc seven semicircular-headed windows, with horizontal cornices, the archivolts resting on pilasters, and the spandrels filled with sculpture. Above the piers of the second story, the third story have coupled Corinthian pilasters, arranged in a similar manner on plinths and itodillin. Between these are two tiers of windows, the lower having rectangular, and the uppe• semicircular heads. Above this order is the entabla ture proportioned to the building, the frieze of which is occupied by blocks to support the cornice. The roof has sloping sides, and is covered by hollow tiles.