The Ancient Monuments of Rome and Their Use as Suppliers of Remnants for the Construction of New St. Peter’s Basilica: Building Activity in Rome during the Renaissance

Abstract

The start of the building of the new St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome represented a huge event in Roman building activities, which were promoted by the popes after their return from exile in Avignon. This enormous construction site required building material, which in the Renaissance often entailed destroying the ancient city and reusing ancient material as spolia. But a closer look at the spolia used for the new St. Peter’s reveals that almost no intact ancient structure had to suffer; it was mostly remnants that were transported to the Vatican, and thus new residential space was opened in the center of Rome for what was once again a growing population.

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