Sculpture Is, In My Opinion, Far More Appropriate To
A Place Of Worship Than Paintings Or Dazzling Ornaments.
Another very
striking beauty of this noble and venerable temple are the columns it
contains some of which are in granite and others of the most beautiful
verd-antique.
There are besides two superb Corinthian columns of bronze
which adorn one of the altars. Among the chapels of this Cathedral is one
belonging to the Corsini family, which is probably the richest in Europe,
and contains more precious stones and marbles than any other. Yet as this
and the other chapels are in recesses and separated from the aisles of the
church by large bronze gates, you cannot see their contents till you enter
the said chapels; and thus your attention is not diverted by them from the
contemplation of the simple grandeur of the columns and statues which adorn
the body of the temple.
The bronze columns above mentioned were taken from the temple of Jupiter
Capitolinus. On one side in front of the church of St John Lateran stands
an immense Egyptian Obelisk 115 feet in height, brought from Egypt to Rome
in the time of Constantine.
I think the placing of these Obelisks in front of the facade of the most
remarkable edifices is an excellent arrangement, as they are never-failing
landmarks to distinguish from afar off the edifices to which they belong.
This Obelisk was found in the Circus Maximus, from which it was removed
and placed on this spot by Sixtus V. A large Orphan establishment is close
to this church; and close to it also the Battisterio of Constantine,
which rests on forty-eight columns of porphyry, said to be the finest in
Europe.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 313 of 558
Words from 85438 to 85726
of 151859
