Welcome to 2015's A–Z Challenge. This year I'm taking you on a tour of one of my favourite cities!

Thursday 2 April 2015

B – Basilica

The Basilica di San Pietro
There’s much to see in the Basilica di San Pietro, and for a photographer – even an amateur like me – it’s a fascinating location.

The great height of the domes allows light to flood through the many windows – shafts cut through, drawing the eye upwards. Capturing those beams is almost too easy – the difficulty is in choosing which ones to photograph.

With all the beautiful painting and sculpture on display, why – you might wonder – did I focus on the light? I suspect that I was a victim of the domes’ architect (Michelangelo). Crepuscular rays – or God rays – are atmospheric optics that occur naturally as rays stream through gaps in clouds. Michelangelo had created the conditions to allow them to appear inside. Nothing here was built by chance – it’s all part of a great architectural plan.

13 comments:

  1. It looks so majestic. I imagine it is one of those places that photos can't do it justice. Maybe one day I'll get there...

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  2. The place looks quite surreal. Fabulous colours make the picture look as if it is on a page out of an ancient book. I love sun rays, especially when they're streaming through clouds and I am observing from a high point.

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  3. oh so beautiful! no wonder they use Rome in flims so much - prominent and historic, demanding attention! i will have to come back - i want to visit, but who knows when that will be so i can view viacriously through you! thanks!
    happy b day!

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  4. And it was all built without the aid of computer generated designs to make sure it worked first. Lovely.

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  5. Wonderful theme! I love Rome - looking forward to reliving my travels there through your A to Z posts! Cheers - Ellen

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  6. St Peter's such a treasure trove of art and design. Truly magnificent.

    Nilanjana.
    Madly-in-Verse

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  7. Beautiful! - I just found your blog while looking for other a-z challenge bloggers! I am going to follow this for sure. I went to Italy in 2000 for my honeymoon and have been to both locations that you wrote about so far. I am an amateur photographer, but when we went, it was film cameras and I wasn't very good. I am dying to get back! Your photos are wonderful! Look forward to stopping back.
    Judi
    http://50andfabulousblog.blogspot.com

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  8. I can't even begin to imagine how someone would design all of this :) Which is probably why I an not Michelangelo. I loved the basilica though, and I really enjoyed that we got to go up in the dome :)

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
    MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

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  9. Michelangelo knew what he was doing. Great photo!

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  10. Great picture. I'm going to enjoy seeing your pictures throughout the challenge this month. If you have time you might stop by and check out my B post.

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  11. It's been 5 decades since I visited Rome. I'm going to love revisiting it through your blogs and picturess.

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  12. I've never been to Rome, but I see St. Peter's every Christmas Eve, and I can just imagine how beautiful it must be when you're standing in the basilica.

    John Holton
    Blogging from A to Z 2015 Cohost
    The Sound of One Hand Typing

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