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About The Vatican
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The Vatican is the spiritual nexus of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the home of the Pope and includes the Vatican Palace, the Basilica of St. Peter's, the Sistine Chapel, the Pauline Chapel, the Necropolis of the Vatican, Vatican Museums, Vatican Library and other papal buildings. An architectural masterpiece it houses magnificent treasures of art due to the Roman Catholic Church devoting tremendous creative, intellectual and financial resources in Vatican City and throughout the world for the worship, love and glory of Jesus Christ.
Construction of St. Peter's Basilica took place during the 16th and 17th centuries on what is believed to be the burial site of St. Peter. An earlier church built under the direction of Constantine in the 4th century was deconstructed in the 15th century to make way for what would be St. Peter's Basilica.
The primary architects involved in the Basilica's design were Donato Bramante, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. While all were concerned with compositional unity (albeit some inconsistencies exist) Bramante is largely known for the overall design, Michelangelo - the colossal dome, Maderno for shifting the design plan from a Greek Cross to a Latin Cross (greater length than width) as well as the facade and Bernini for the interior decoration and his magnificent colonnade integrating the facade of the palace with its surroundings. An aerial view of the colonnade reveals Bernini's keyhole design symbolic of St. Peter being given the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
The Sistine Chapel is the private chapel of the Pope and is used for papal ceremonies conducted by the Pope, funeral services of a deceased Pope and for the election of a new Pope. The chapel was built between 1473 and 1481 by the Florentine architect Giovanni di Dolce for Pope Sixtus the IV after whom the chapel is named. Among the many artists represented within the Sistine Chapel are Michelangelo Buonarroti, his brilliant awe-inspiring frescoes painted on the vault and far wall of the chapel. Scenes from the Old Testament adorn the ceiling along with biblical prophets, sybils and male nudes. Michelangelo's Last Judgement is painted on the altar wall, psychologically charging the sanctuary. The painting was unveiled All Hallows Eve in 1541. Along the walls on each side of the chapel are large rectangular frescoes by Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio, Sandro Botticelli, Cosimo Rosselli, Luca Signorelli and Ghirlandaio. The scenes depict passages from the Old and New Testaments.
The Vatican Museums and Vatican Library exhibit and catalogue a phenomenal collection of art, sacred objects, books, codices and manuscripts including outstanding Greek and Roman sculpture from antiquity. Although some pieces are from periods and cultures with beliefs that differ from the teachings of the Catholic Church, these works of art have been studied, protected and cared for through the centuries since being acquired by the Vatican.
For over two millennia, artists, architects, musicians and writers who are Christian have been immersed in contemplation and concepts of spirituality, sensuality, aesthetics, beauty, process, composition, emotion and intellect to create transcendent art for Christianity and the Catholic Church. The contribution for the benefit of Humanity is incalculable.
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