Basilica of St. Peter and Paul (Rome)

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Basilica of St. Peter and Paul
Photo by Paolo Monti , 1967

The Basilica of St. Peter and Paul ( Basilica parrocchiale dei Santi Pietro e Paolo a Via Ostiense ) is a Roman Catholic church in the south of Rome on the highest point on the western edge of Quartiere XXXII. Europe (EUR). The monumental, dome-crowned central building in neoclassical style designed by Arnaldo Foschini was built from 1939 as part of Mussolini's architectural showcase project . After their war caused delayed completion of St. Peter and Paul in 1952 Minoritenkirche , 1958 Parish Church , 1965 Title Church and 1967 minor Basilica .

history

In the Middle Ages, a chapel of the Arch-Brotherhood of Pilgrims , which was already consecrated to the two apostles, is said to have stood on the site of today's basilica . The entire area belonged to the Tre Fontane monastery until it was expropriated .

The planning of the church was handed over to the architects Arnaldo Foschini , Alfredo Energici , Vittorio Grassi , Nello Ena , Tullio Rossi and Costantino Vetrian . Work began in September 1938 and was approved in April 1939.

The EUR quarter was planned as the site of the world exhibition planned for 1942 . Unlike German National Socialism , Italian fascism was church-friendly and used Catholicism for its imperial goals. The symbol for this was to be the high domed church in the context of the world exhibition, which was to house an exhibition on the expansion of the Catholic Church and an iconographic exhibition on the apostles Peter and Paul . After Italy entered the Second World War in June 1940, construction work continued until the shell was completed in 1941 and was then discontinued.

During the war, the building suffered damage from two shell hits . All movable building material was removed. After the war, the redesign and completion of the world exhibition site as a residential and office district began.

Immediately after the end of the war, the Franciscan conventuals had already registered interest in the church with the responsible authorities. In 1952, the unfinished and damaged structure with land and outbuildings became the property of the order, which then completed the church with the parish center and convent building. Difficulties were caused by the relatively small, but high and atmospherically cool interior of the building, which was not originally intended for the liturgy of a parish. In 1955 the first Holy Mass was celebrated in the church. On December 8, 1958, it became the 172nd parish church in the city of Rome.

architecture

The basilica, which is completely clad in white travertine , consists of the geometric components cube with four attached short cuboids - the arms of a Greek cross - and a hemisphere on a cylindrical drum . The dome with a diameter of 32 m is crowned by a conical lantern . A wide, gently sloping open staircase leads to the main portal, which is decorated in relief and flanked by two monumental statues of the apostles Peter and Paul .

Cardinal priest

St. Peter and Paul is titular church of the following cardinals:

literature

Web links

Commons : Basilica of St. Peter and Paul (Rome)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ La Visita
  2. ↑ a b Storia della Basilica
  3. ↑ Sospensione
  4. ^ Convenzione tra l'Ente EUR ei Francescani Conventuali
  5. ^ Apertura al culto

Coordinates: 41 ° 50 ′ 1.3 "  N , 12 ° 27 ′ 33.4"  E