info about the old st peters basilica ,rome

1. OLD SAINT PETER’S
BASILICA
GROUP1;
DRISYA PM
SAIKAMALCK
Group1
Drisya pm
Saikamalck
Old Saint Peter's
Basilica Rome

2. ABOUT
 Old St. Peter’s Basilica was a prototype for developments in Christian architecture.
 Old St. Peter’s , was both a martyrium (built over the grave site of saint peter , it
marked and commemorated his martyrdom )and a Basilica used for worship .
 It is a five aisled basilican – plan church with apsed transept at the west end.

3. TIMELINE
 It is the first Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome.
 Its construction begun between 326 and 333 at the order of the roman emperor
Constantine.
 It took about 30 years to complete.
 Old St Peter’s was torn down in the early 16th century and replaced by new St
Peter’s.

4. EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE
 Basilical church developed from Roman secular basilica ; centralised type from
Roman tombs .
 Basilical plan modified for liturgical requirements ; congregation and clergy
segregated in nave and aisles vs. transept and apse. Different variations in east
and west.
 The plan was initially adapted from the Roman Basilica which was usually entered
on its long side , but the Christian church was entered through an atrium and
narthex (entrance hall) on its short side .
 This narthex was usually on the west , and the altar was towards the east , an
orientation followed in most later medieval church .

5. Old
St Peter’s
Basilica
plan

6. OSP SECTION

7. The church was entered through an atrium called paradise that enclosed a garden with fountains .
From the atrium there were five doors in to the body of the church.

8. At St. peter’s , as in many Roman Basilicas wooden beams supported a gable roof , and
clerestory windows allowed light to illuminate the nave .
On the clerestory walls ,
each pierced by 11
windows where frescoes
of the patriarch ,
prophets ,and apostles
and scenes from the old
and new testaments.

10. The interior division of space ,with a nave flanked by side aisles , is similar to certain
Roman Basilicas .

11.  Old St. peter’s has transepts
(“transverse enclosure “), a feature
that would become traditional in
Christian churches.
 Transepts create a cross shape ;
the term cruciform ( cross-
like ) Basilica designated early
Christian churches with
transepts .
 These architectural spaces ,
extension to the north and
south , meet the nave at the
crossing.

12. Many of the columns used
in building Old St.
Peter’s were taken from
earlier Roman buildings ;
material thus reused are
known as “spolia “.

13. Main entrance
with africano
columns from Old
St.peter’s

14. The group of spiral columns that decorated the altar area at old St.
peter’s had a special significance, for they were thought to have been
taken from the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem .

15. Old St. Peter’s had a rather plain brick exterior hut , the interior was adorned with precious
materials including marble Roman columns , mosaics , and frescoes.

16.  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 , one’s attention was focussed on the high
altar , set below an enormous arch on which a mosaic depicted
Christ , Saint peter , and the emperor Constantine.