The Constantinian Basilica, or Old St. Peter's, was built in c. 354 BC Having recently gained control of the territory where the Vatican now stands, Constantine wished to display his power and wealth by building something magnificent. The tomb of St. Peter was chosen as the location for Constantine's exposition. The ancient St. Peter's Basilica marked the supposed place of his burial and became the most important building of the Roman Catholic Church. Pilgrimage to this sanctuary became the goal of many Christians during the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. In 1420, shortly after the Great Schism, Pope Martin V brought the papacy back to Rome and noticed the disorder that had fallen on the basilica. Martin has done some partial restorations, but nothing lasting. By 1455 the structure was falling apart. Pope Nicholas V wished to completely rebuild the building, but died before completing the plans. It was only in 1506, with the pontificate of Julius II, that real progress occurred. Pope Julius II decided to demolish Old St. Peter's and build a completely new structure in its place. This idea was highly contested due to the venerated status of the old building. However, the Pope had faith in the achievements of Renaissance architects and believed that this new building should exemplify the wealth and power of the Roman Catholic Church. Funded primarily by indulgences, Julius continued with his plans and built the “greatest edifice in Christendom.” Bramante, a Renaissance architect, was the first to undertake the basilica project. He was already known for the construction of the Tempietto, or Il Tempietto, built on the supposed site of the crucifixion of Saint Peter. His story with the saint and his impeccable work......middle of paper......le to collect near the church; it perfectly accentuated the grandeur of the previous architect's efforts. Works Cited Bannister, C. Turpin. "The Constantinian Basilica of St. Peter in Rome." JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS Volume 27, n. 1 (1968): 3-32.Campbell, Ian. "The New St. Peter's: Basilica or Temple?" Oxford Art Journal Volume 4, no. 1 (1981): 3-8.Gordon, George. The Complete Poetical Works of Lord Byron: In Two Volumes. Philadelphia: Moses Thomas, 1813Matthews, Roy T., F. DeWitt Platt, and F.X. Thomas Noble. Western Humanities Volume II: From the Renaissance to the Present. 7th edition ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011. Spielvogel, Jackson J.. Western Civilization. 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2012.Stokstad, Marilyn and Michael Watt Cothren. History of art. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2011.