San Pietro in Montorio

San Pietro in Montorio is a church built during the early Renaissance near what was once believed to be where St. Peter was martyred, although the current St Peter's Basilica location is more likely to be the site. The church was built with the intention of glorifying this sacred spot. An underlying theme in Renaissance works was the desire of the popes to "outdo" both their ancient Roman predecessors and each other through the construction of religious art and architecture. San Pietro in Montorio is an early example of this, and although the church is beautiful and more elaborate than early Christian places of worship, it is not nearly as extravagant compared to later Renaissance projects, such as the current St. Peter's Basilica.


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