The Tempietto: Radiating a Divine Presence

Larger Than Life: Art that inspires us through the ages

Architect Bramante’s contemporaries recognized the Tempietto for achieving “all'antica” (like the ancients) design. Although at the time it was a modern design, its composition was so perfect that it seemed as though it had always existed. JHSmith/The Epoch Times

The Tempietto in Rome is at once a reflection of divine order and a monument to St. Peter. It was designed by Italian architect and painter Donato Bramante in 1502 during the High Renaissance, a time when architects sought to give form to the enlightened understanding of life and the universe and transcend the heights of classicism.

The Tempietto, or small temple, unites heaven and earth with perfect geometry and proportions that emulate the perfection of divine realms. The sphere and circle repeated throughout represent unity and completeness, and they are associated with spiritual attainment.