Dome

View of Santa Maria del Popolo, from outside the Porto del Popolo, depicting position of church just within the city walls of Rome and next to the most important gate of Rome, the Porto del Popolo (through which pilgrims would enter); Begun 1099, Santa Maria del Popolo was reconstructed by Baccio Pontelli and Andrea Bregno in 1472-1477, commissioned by the association of the Lombards of Rome, creating an excellent example of Italian Renaissance architecture. In 1655-1660 the facade was modified by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who was asked by Pope Alexander VII to update the Renaissance church to a more modern Baroque style. [Wikipedia] "Another church project in Rome commissioned from Bramante by Julius II was the extended choir for S Maria del Popolo (completed 1509), built to house the tombs of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza and Cardinal Girolamo Basso della Rovere (d 1507)." [Santa Maria del Popolo contains important chapels: della Rovere, Chigi, Cybo, and Sant'Agostino.] Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.groveart.com/ (accessed 1/20/2008)