Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1842-12-17
ST. PETERS CHURCH AT ROME.

The piazza Of this masterpiece Of archi-
lecture is altogether sublime. The Iou
bic colonnade on eacl, side, extending in
semi circulur swcep-the stupendous
Egyptian obelisk-the two fountains
the portico--and the admirable facade Of
the church, from such an assemblage Of
magnificent objects, as cannot fail to i'm
press the mind with awe and admiration
The church appears in the back ground,
aud on each side is row Of ouaJrup'e
arches, resting on two hundred and
eighty -four pillars, and eighty eight phi
asters; the arches support one hundtcd
and ninety-lwo statutes, twelve feet in
height. The two fountains in front thro"
a mass Of water to the height Of 9 feet
from wh,h it falls in very picturesque
manner, adding greatly to the beauty OF
| the scene.
Atthe first entrance TO ST. Peters, the
effect is not SO striking as might be ex
pected; il enlarees itself. however, OIL all
sides, and appears more grand and beau
u'ul TO he eye every moment. The pro
portions are so accurately observed, tina,
each OF the parts is seen to equal ad.
vantage without distinguishing itself
above the rest. 1t appears neither OK
tremeI; high, nor long, nor broad. be.
cause q justcqaality is preserved through
out. Although every object in the
church is admirable. and all blended TO
se.her with the utmost harmony, tho
srandest and most astonishing part OF i
is the cupola. On ascending to it the
! spectator is surprised to fad that the
dome Which he sees in tho church is no
the enc which he examined out OF door
--the later bein. kind OF case to thu
former, and the stairs by which he as
cends 10 the hall lying between the two
Had there been the outward dome only
within the church. while had there bee,
| /; the inward one only. il would scarcely b
, seen bv those without. and hal both bee
one solid do ne OF SCI great thickness
: the pillars would have been too weak /
/, have supported il.
i Il is not easy 10 conceive more glor
I Gus Architectural display than the OH
which presents itself to The spectator VIII
| stands bsneath the dome. II lie look
upward, he is aston,shed a: the spacio1
hollow Of the cupola; and has vault O
!, every side, which makes one Of the mo-
/, beautiful vistas the eye can possibly hav
, to penetrate. To convey an idea OF il
: magnitude is nearly impossible, as se orc
!. y imagination Gun forma true picture .
q its grandeur. The height Of the bod
i oil the Church. from the ground to Il
j upper part Of its ceiling, is four hundre
d and lhirty-lwo feet; and sixteen persot
IS may place themselves without incOnven
Il ence in the hall above the dome. II
!. globu!ar top over the dome 10 lighted q
e nua!y on the 29th Of June, BY 4O(
Is lamps and 1000 FIRE pots, presenting
d most beautiful spectacle. The vsstibu
i. Of ST. Peters is grand and msgnifcen
s. Over the top Of the second entrance .
fine mosaic from G,otio, executed in Il
10 year 1908; aud at tho corners. q u
= right and left. are The equsssriaa staiu'
4 Of Constantine and Chariemagns.
;. the five doors leading 10 the church
a self, one, called the holy door, 10 genera
" closed By the brick work, and 10 on
\. opened At tho time Of the jubilee. III
IN middle CATO is Of bronze, with bas-
liefs.
y or the one hundred and thirty statu
4 with which this church il adorned, th
4 Of ST. Peter il the most conspicuous.
"a is said to have boon recast from tho stat
ID of Jupiter Capitolinus. Ono hundf
= and twelve lamps are constantly burni
around the tomb Of THE saint; and I