The piazza of this masterpiece of architecture, a view of which as seen
from the Tiber is given in the cut on the next page, is altogether
sublime. The double colonnade on each side, extending in a semicircular
sweep, the stupendous Egyptian obelisk, the two fountains, the portico,
and the admirable façade of the church, form such an assemblage of
magnificent objects, as can not fail to impress the mind with awe and
admiration. The church appears in the background, and on each side is a
row of quadruple arches, resting on two hundred and eighty-four pillars,
and eighty-eight pilasters: these arches support one hundred and
ninety-two statues, twelve feet in hight. The two noble fountains throw
a mass of water to the hight of nine feet, from which it falls in a very
picturesque manner, and adds greatly to the beauty of the scene. In the
center is the fine obelisk.
At the first entrance into St. Peter’s, the effect is not so striking as
might be expected: it enlarges itself, however, insensibly on all sides,
and improves on the eye every moment. The proportions are so accurately
observed, that each of the parts are seen to an equal advantage, without
distinguishing itself above the rest. It appears neither extremely high,
nor long, nor broad, because a just equality is preserved throughout.
Although every object in this church is admirable, the most astonishing
part of it is the cupola. On ascending to it, the spectator is surprised
to find, that the dome which he sees in the church, is not the same with
the one he had examined without doors, the latter being a kind of case
to the other, and the stairs by which he ascends into the ball lying
between the two. Had there been the outward dome only, it would not have
been seen to advantage by those who are within the church; or had there
been the inward one only, it would scarcely have been seen by those who
are without; and had both been one solid dome of so great a thickness,
the pillars would have been too weak to have supported it.
[Illustration: ST. PETER’S AS SEEN FROM THE TIBER.]
It is not easy to conceive a more glorious architectural display than
the one which presents itself to the spectator who stands beneath the
dome. If he looks upward, he is astonished at the spacious hollow of the
cupola, and has a vault on every side of him, which makes one of the
most beautiful vistas the eye can possibly have to penetrate. To convey
an idea of its magnitude, it will suffice to say, that the hight of the
body of the church, from the ground to the upper part of its ceiling, is
four hundred and thirty-two feet, and that sixteen persons may place
themselves, without inconvenience, in the globular top over the dome,
which is annually lighted, on the twenty-ninth of June, by four thousand
lamps and two thousand fire-pots, presenting a most delightful
spectacle. The vestibule of St. Peter’s is grand and beautiful. Over the
second entrance is a fine mosaic from Giotto, executed in the year 1303;
and at the corners, to the right and left, are the equestrian statues of
Constantine and Charlemagne. Of the five doors leading to the church
itself, one, called the holy door, is generally shut up by brick-work,
and is only opened at the time of the jubilee. The middle gate is of
bronze, with bass-reliefs.
Of the one hundred and thirty statues with which this church is adorned,
that of St. Peter is the most conspicuous: it is said to have been
recast from a bronze statue of Jupiter Capitolinus. One hundred and
twelve lamps are constantly burning around the tomb of this saint; and
the high altar close to it, on which the pope alone reads mass, is
overshadowed by a ceiling, which exceeds in loftiness that of any palace
of Rome. The splendid sacristy was built by Pius VI. But by far the
greatest ornaments of the interior are the excellent works in mosaic,
all copied from the most celebrated pictures, which are thus guarded
from oblivion.
The great and truly awful dome of St. Peter’s is only two feet less in
diameter than that of the Pantheon, being one hundred and thirty-seven
feet; but it exceeds the latter in hight by twenty feet, being one
hundred and fifty-nine feet, besides the lantern, the basis pedestal of
the top, the globular top itself, and the cross above it, which,
collectively, measure one hundred and twenty feet. The roof of the
church is ascended by easy steps; and here the visitor seems to have
entered a small town, for he suddenly finds himself among a number of
houses, which either serve as repositories of implements and materials
for repairing the church, or are inhabited by the workmen. The dome, at
the foot of which he now arrives, appears to be the parish church of
this town; and the inferior domes seem as if intended only for ornaments
to fill up the vacuities. Add to this, that he can not see the streets
of Rome, on account of the surrounding high gallery and its colossal
statues, and the singularity of such a scene may be easily conceived. It
is besides said, that a market is occasionally held here for the aerial
inhabitants.
But although the adventurous stranger is now on the roof, he has still a
great hight to ascend before he reaches the summit of the dome.
Previously to his engaging in this enterprise, he is conducted to the
inside gallery of the dome. From this spot the people within the body of
the church appear like children. The higher he goes, the more
uncomfortable he finds himself, on account of the oblique walls over the
narrow staircase; and he is often compelled to lean with his whole body
quite to one side. Several marble plates are affixed in those walls,
containing the names of the distinguished personages who have had the
courage to ascend to the dome, and even to climb up to the lantern, and
the top. The emperor Joseph II. is twice mentioned; and Paul I. as grand
duke. In some parts, where the stairs are too steep, more commodious
steps of wood have been placed. By these the lantern can be reached with
greater facility; and the view which there waits the visitor, is
magnificent beyond description: _it is an immense panorama, bounded by
the sea_.
Silliman, in his late “Visit to Europe,” adds points of interest with
regard to St. Peter’s not given above, which therefore we quote. “The
interior,” he says, “is beyond description rich and magnificent. It is
said to have cost fifty million dollars. The circumference of each of
the four great pillars which support the dome, is two hundred and
thirty-four feet. The diameter of the dome is one hundred and
ninety-five feet; the hight of the dome to the lantern, is four hundred
and five feet; to the top of the cross, is four hundred and thirty-four
feet. The floor is composed entirely of marble of various colors, and
disposed in ornamental forms; indeed, the whole interior of the church,
the columns and pilasters excepted, is faced with the most beautiful
marble, highly polished; while numerous medallions, exquisite monuments,
and splendid mosaic copies of the best pictures, adorn the interior, and
form an integral part of its walls. The roof, or ceiling, is stuccoed in
sunken squares or panels, richly gilt. There is no part which is not
sumptuously decorated. It seems as if ingenuity, art, taste, talent, and
skill, all the resources of wealth, and of Nature herself, through all
her vast storehouse of materials, had been laid under contribution, to
make St. Peter’s the most glorious of the structures reared by man. With
a pure faith, it would be a temple worthy of the God who created all the
materials with which it is built, and who furnished man with all the
faculties, which have enabled him to rear and adorn this unrivaled
structure, a fit abode, like the glorious fane of Jerusalem, for the
habitation of the spiritual influence of Jehovah. St. Peter’s was one
hundred and seventy-six years in building. Indeed, including all its
vicissitudes, the period was three hundred and fifty years, under
forty-three popes. It was finally dedicated by Urban VIII., November
eighteenth, 1626. The vases for holding holy water serve to give an idea
of the immensity of the building. They are supported by cherubs, which,
on first entering the church, appear like children, but on approaching
them they are found to be six feet high. Another illustration is derived
from the mosaic figures of the four evangelists, with their emblems over
the arches. The pen in the hand of St. Mark is six feet long. Upon the
frieze running round the basis of the dome is this inscription, each
letter of which is six feet long, and yet the writing is only
conveniently legible below: TV ES PETRVS ET SVPER HANC PETRAM AEDIFICABO
ECCLESIAM MEAM ET TIBI DABO CLAVES REGNI.”