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Anusha Patil 2
 • The old St. Peter’s
basilica was a prototype
for developments in
Christian architecture.
• The basilica was built
over the grave site of St.
Peter.
• The name of the cathedral
was set to honour the
name of St. Peter.

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 It is the first basilica of saint peter in Rome.

 Its construction begun between 326 and 333C.E. at the order of the roman emperor
Constantine.

 It took around 30 years to complete the whole structure.

 The basilica was torn down in the early 16th century and replaced by the new St.
Peter’s that is now present in the Vatican city of Rome.

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• Dimensions: 110.0m long x 64.0m wide with double aisles on
both sides.
Latin cross
• It was built in the shape of Latin cross, with a gable roof, shape
timbered on inside & at 30.0m high at centre.
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• It is the entrance structure of the basilica.

• Serves as an entry to the basilica crossing

through the atrium and the narthex.

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• The church was entered through an
atrium called paradise that enclosed a 2
garden with fountains.
• The atrium was surrounded by a
colonnaded portico.
• From the atrium there were five doors
which into the body of the church

Water installation with bronze

pine-cone in the atrium.

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• Narthex forms a diaphragm between the
atrium and the nave of the church. 3

• The nave of the church was accessed

from the narthex.
Narthex

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• The church interior was divided into the
nave and side aisles (arcades). 4
• The central rectangular space flanked with
22 columns on the either side and ended
with the apse at the other end.
• The nave here is timber-roofed with coffers
& richly glided ceiling.
• The nave had clearstory windows which
illuminated the entire space.

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• At St. Peter’s wooden beam
supported a gable roof. 4

• On the clerestory walls, each

wall was pierced with windows,
where frescoes of the patriarchs,
prophets and apostles and scenes
from the old and new testaments

• Above aisles & between

clerestory windows, the walls
were faced with marble, or
mosaics made up from small
tesserae of coloured glass.

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• The central nave was flanked with the
two colonnaded rectangular passage way
on either side called as side aisles or
arcades.

• The width of aisles was half that of the

central nave.

• Columns were the rustic marble columns,

carrying flat entablatures.

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• The central nave of the church terminated
into a ‘triumphal arch’ and the space is
called as apse.

• The semi-circular walls of the apse ended

into a dome, whose interiors had mosaics
depicting narrative scenes from Bible or
single figures seen against stylised
landscapes or plain gold grounds.

• The apse houses a raised place where

sacrifices are offered and religious were
rites performed. The place is termed as
alter.

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• The old St. Peter’s has transepts
(“traverse enclosure”) which creates a
cross shape. The term cruciform basilica
designates early Christian churches with
transepts.

• Transept is a feature that became a

traditional component in the Christian
basilicas.
• These architectural spaces, or extensions
to the north and south, meet the nave at
the crossing.

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• Many of the columns used in the building were taken
from the early roman buildings; materials thus reused are
known as spolia.

• The group of spiral columns that decorated the alter area

had a special significance, for they were thought to have
been taken from the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem.

Spiral columns found in the alter of

the church.

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• The basilica had a plain brick exterior hut, but the interior was adorned with precious
materials. Including marble roman columns, mosaics and frescoes.

White Red Cipatino portasanta Atricano

granite granite

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• The decorated interior contrasted with the
exterior, subtly reminding the visitor that the
beauty of the inner spirit was more important
than external, physical adornment.

• From the entrance, ones attention was focussed

on the high alter, set below the enormous arch
on which a mosaic depicted Christ, Saint Peter,
and the Emperor Constantine.

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• A mausoleum is an external free-standing
building constructed as a monument
enclosing the interment space or burial
chamber of a deceased person or people

• The mausoleum was added to the basilica

after the death of the emperor Honouris who
ruled the western roman empire between
329 to 423 C.E.

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