| The basilica -
or more correctly Holy Saviour, and the saints John the
Baptist and John the Evangelist - is the cathedral of
Roma. It was built in the form of a basilica with five
aisles like the original St. Peter's' on old
constructions; the horse-guards' barracks of the emperor,
through the interest of Constantine, who gave it to the
African Pope, Melchiades. When it was inaugurated in
327, it was dedicated only to the Holy Saviour. Damaged
and restored several time, the basilica was always
subject of important artistic operations. After those of
the Middle Ages, among others there were the lost
frescoes by Gentile da Fabriano and Pisanel/o. The works
undertaken under Sixtus V were decisive, the nearby
Lateran Palace, residence of Pontiffs up to the period
of the Avignon captivity is also interesting. Apart from
the restoration by Borromini, the basilica is noted for
the splendid Fat;ade, built on the design by Alessandro
Galilei (finished in 1735). Inside, under the tabernacle
is the papal altar (where only the Pontiffs may
celebrate mass) where the old wooden altar is preserved.
Besides the many works preserved, the cloister of the
Vassal/etto and the nearby octagonal baptistery also
erected by Constantine over a baths building of the 2nd
century AD., are of particular importance. |
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The restoration of the basilica
was without doubt the most important commission given to
Borromini.ltwas Innocent X, Pamphilj, who ordered the
restoration of the building that had gone into a state of
decay for the Jubilee of 1650.The pope, however, limited the
ingenious solutions presented by the architect, since he
intended to preserve as much as possible of the previous
works. The most drastic decision concerned the renunciation
of the construction of the vault in the main nave, planned
in barrel vaulting of rounded caisson arches, and, instead,
stayed with the previous wooden ceiling from halfway through
the 1500s.
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The main nave has pillars with
twelve aedicules decorated in the tympanum by the papal
dove, in which colossal statues were placed in the 18th
century. The architect arranged the sepulchral fragments
from earlier periods of the basilica in a completely
original manner, in the side aisles. He placed them in
aedicules carved into the wall and embellishing them with
decorative items invented by him.
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