The Basilica of Maxentius - at the top, Piranesi's etching (1760), and my photograph (October 2010). These great vaults are just one side of the structure - there were similar vaults on the left, with a wide nave between them (as in the plan below). A basilica is more of a place for business and administration, rather than the religious function the word is generally associated with now.
The building is sometimes referred to as the Basilica of Constantine: Maxentius started construction, then was defeated by Constantine who completed the work, in the early 4th century AD. The side vaults are 20.5 metres wide and 24 metres high. The central nave was even higher - the roof above where I stood would have soared up to 35 metres high!
You've possibly seen the colossal statue of Constantine, the remains of which are now in the Capitoline Museums:
Apparently the statue sat in the semicircular apse on the left of the plan above, and started off looking like Maxentius. But Constantine had the features changed to look like himself once he'd taken over. No ego issues there!
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| A late 19th century plan of the Basilica (Wikimedia Commons) |
The building is sometimes referred to as the Basilica of Constantine: Maxentius started construction, then was defeated by Constantine who completed the work, in the early 4th century AD. The side vaults are 20.5 metres wide and 24 metres high. The central nave was even higher - the roof above where I stood would have soared up to 35 metres high!
You've possibly seen the colossal statue of Constantine, the remains of which are now in the Capitoline Museums:
Apparently the statue sat in the semicircular apse on the left of the plan above, and started off looking like Maxentius. But Constantine had the features changed to look like himself once he'd taken over. No ego issues there!
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