CIVIL llICHITECTURE. 487 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 arc divided by large piers, taken together, compose a parallelogram ; the terminations of the transept and chancel are exter nally semi-octagons. These, by diminishing as they ascend, and having their vaulted roofs abutting against the sides of the walls which bear the dome, arc judicious supports, and contain the elements of the flying buttresses afterwards 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 cir cular window placed in each side of the octagon, at about half the before-mentioned height ; this prevents the ne cessity 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 324, upon the circus of Nero: A plan and elevation will be found in Plate CLX X I V. This is not only the most magnificent Chris tian temple, but in magnitude of outlines, and variety of parts, far exceeds any of the edifices constructed by the Greeks or Romans ; and although the ground plan does not occupy a space quite equal in extent to that of Kar nac, in the Egyptian Thcbaid, yet the having about six times its elevation, gives to the Christian temple a de cided superiority. 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 Popc 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 so magnificent a project, formed various designs, 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 ma& by the celebrated Caradossa, and struck under Julius II. and Leo X. But the insulated temple built by Bramante without the walls of Toth, in the duchy of Spoleto, in the fords of a Greek cross, with a beautiful cupola in the middle. appears to have been the
;node] of St Peter's. This great work was begun with much zeal and industry in 1506, but suffered a serious intenuption by the death of both the Pope and architect, which took plat e in 1514. The work was however re sumed and continued, tinder the direction of twelve ar chitects, for 135 years. The plan was considerably varied under Leo. X. by Baidassar Peruzzi ; and many parts of the elevation, and the whole of the dome and eupola, as executed, were designed by the celebrated Michael Angelo Buonarotti. This edifice, therefore, 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 being carefully and minutely made, will afford a distinct idea of the style and arrangement, both externally and internally. We shall therefore here confine ourselves to sonic 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 40 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 occu pied by pilasters, columns, recesses, and niches, that nothing 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 together, so that the whole is rendered at once light and firm.