Dome

General view of the front elevation, on axis from north, depicting view of dome behind; "Between 1608 and 1622 Maderno completed the body of the church [begun 1591 by della Porta], perhaps deepening the transept arms and the chancel, and constructed the drum and dome. The latter was based on that of St Peter's, the buttresses and ribs reduced from sixteen to eight and the proportions made taller. From 1661 to 1665 Rainaldi worked on the completion of the façade of S Andrea della Valle, begun in 1624-1629 to a design by Carlo Maderno. In its final form it represents Rainaldi's transformation of the original scheme into a High Baroque aedicular façade, modified in its turn in a more classical direction, probably by Carlo Fontana, who assisted Rainaldi in 1661-1662." Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.groveart.com/ (accessed 1/20/2008)