St. Peter's, the finished product!

As Michelangelo worked diligently to stay true to Bramante's original plans, he was not the last to work on St. Peter's. Michelangelo had reverted back to the Greek cross plan, devised 5 cupolas, redesigned the dome; he was sucessful in strengthening and unifying the whole structure. In 1626, Carlo Maderno brought the design back again to a Latin cross plan and went on to create the facade. Using monumental orders and imbueing the basilica with a sense of plasticity and force, St. Peter's stood out as a sign of power and success.