The Constantinian Basilica, or Old St. Peter's Basilica, was built c. 354 BCE. Having recently taken control of the territory where the Vatican currently stands, Constantine wanted to display his power and wealth by building something magnificent. The tomb of St. Peter was chosen as the site of Constantine's exhibition. The ancient St. Peter's Basilica marked the presumed site of his burial and became the most important building in the Roman Catholic Church. Pilgrimage to this shrine became the goal of many Christians throughout the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. In 1420, shortly after the Great Schism, Pope Martin V returned the papacy to Rome and noted the disarray that had fallen on the basilica. Martin has made a few partial restorations, but nothing lasting. Around 2:55 p.m., the structure collapsed. Pope Nicholas V wanted to completely rebuild the building, but he died before completing the plans. It was not until 1506, under the papacy of Julius II, that real progress occurred. Pope Julius II decided to demolish the old St. Peter's and erect a completely new structure in its place. This idea was highly contested due to the ancient building's revered status. However, the pope had confidence in the achievements of Renaissance architects and believed that this new building should illustrate the wealth and power of the Roman Catholic Church. Financed mainly by indulgences, Julius continued his plans and built the “greatest edifice in Christendom”. Bramante, a Renaissance architect, was the first to undertake the design of the basilica. He was already well known for the construction of Il Tempietto, or The Little Temple, built on the supposed site of the crucifixion of St. Peter. His history with the saint and his impeccable work......middle of paper......the to be collected near the church; it perfectly accentuated the grandeur of the previous architect's efforts. Works CitedBannister, C. Turpin. “St. Peter’s Constantinian Basilica in Rome.” JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS Volume 27, no. 1 (1968): 3-32. Campbell, Ian. “The new Saint Peter's Basilica: basilica or temple? » Oxford Journal of Art Volume 4, no. 1 (1981): 3-8. Gordon, George. The Complete Poetic Works of Lord Byron: in two volumes. Philadelphia: Moses Thomas, 1813 Matthews, Roy T., F. DeWitt Platt and FX 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 the arts. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2011.