On 2009-08-10 Holly Ross, wrote: You know the old saying,´ You can´t judge a book by it´s cover.´ Apparently, the Basilica is an enormous example of the old adage. This book is a historical account of the building of one of the most well known structures in the world, St.Peter´s Basilica. Before you pooh pooh the idea of reading another boring history book, hold on... this is a story of deceit, love, art, blackmail, envy and greed. The story spans the history of the Vatican from 1505-1667,the 150 years it took to conceive and build the Basilica. The story begins with Michelangelo,a young 31 year old artist, fleeing from Pope Julius II´s, horsemen. It quickly intertwines the story from the temperamental cast of 8 Popes and artists such as Michelangelo, DaVinci,Bramante. The architectural design is so unique to the period that many of the delays involved inventing new construction techniques to achieve the desired product in the end. This brought on competition and more conflict.
I went to the Basilica before reading this book. When I saw it I thought,´I´ve been there, it is breath-taking!´ Then I checked it out at the library, read it, looked it up on Amazon,purchased it . This is something I wanted to own. It has a time line, architectural drawings, 2 appendixes and a great index. The next time I went to the Vatican, I went to the Sistine Chapel and missed the Basilica. I still want to go back! RA Scotti has really given the reader a wonderful new perspective of the truth behind the Vatican and all that it means without spoiling (even enhancing appreciation for) the experience of entering the hallowed halls of the Basilica. . And summed up by saying Judging the Beauty of the Basilica. Currently Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter´s has an overall rating of 8 over 10.
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Viking Adult claimed In this dramatic journey through religious and artistic history, R. A. Scotti traces the defining event of a glorious epoch: the building of St. Peter’s Basilica. Begun by the ferociously ambitious Pope Julius II in 1506, the endeavor would span two tumultuous centuries, challenge the greatest Renaissance masters—Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bramante—and enrage Martin Luther. By the time it was completed, Shakespeare had written all of his plays, the Mayflower had reached Plymouth—and Rome had risen with its astounding basilica to become Europe’s holy metropolis. A dazzling portrait of human achievement and excess, Basilica is a triumph of historical writing.
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