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Anchor 1 ▼ ▲ ▶ ◀ Chapel of Our Lady of the Annunciation Artist: Antonio Aquili (Antoniazzo Romano) Date: 1500 • The painting over the altar is Our Lady of the Annunciation Gives the Dowry to the Poor Maidens Presented by Cardinal Torquemada • In the painting the Virgin gives purses to three girls with Torquemada kneeling nearby. Cardinal Torquemada's Confraternity of Our Lady of the Annunciation gave dowries to poor girls • This is one of the most famous works of Antonio Aquili

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Anchor 1 ▼ ▲ ◀ Chapel of St. Helen

Anchor 1 ▼ ◀ Oratory of St. Julian Artist: Antonio da Viterbo (Il Pastura) Date: 1200s • St. Peter and St. Paul are attributed to Antonio but other hands are also present. They have been repainted and are not in good condition • This is the direct route to the medieval cloister • Luigi Poletti was the main architect for the reconstruction after the fire. He is buried in this room. A bust of him can be found in the Gregorian Room

Anchor 1 ▼ St. Benedict • St. Benedict lived from 480-546

Anchor 1 ▼ ▶ ◀ Entrance

▲ Anchor 1 ◀ ▶ Nave

Anchor 1 ▼ ▲ ▶ ◀ Tomb of Pius VII

Anchor 1 ▼ ▲ ◀ Main Altar Artist: Nicolas Cordier Date: 1600 ca. • The bust is St. Paul

Anchor 1 ▼ Papal Altar Date: 590s (Altar of St. Gregory the Great); 1120s (Altar of Pope Callistus II); 1594 (Altar of Pope Clement VIII) • The papal altar is directly above the tomb of St. Peter, the apostle of Jesus. Many sources point to St. Peter being buried here on Vatican Hill in the 60s • The papal altar that is visible is that of Pope Clement VIII. For the new St. Peter's he had the old altars of St. Gregory the Great and Pope Calliustus enclosed within his altar

Anchor 1 ▲ ▶ ◀ Nave

Anchor 1 ▶ ▼ Chapel of the Relics

Anchor 1 ▼ ▶ St. Agnes Aedicule Artist: Unknown Date: 1536 ca. • The bust is Funeral Monument of Baldassarre Peruzzi • The famous painter Peruzzi (1481-1536) is buried here

Anchor 1 ▼ ▲ ◀ Chapel of St. Dominic • This was originally a smaller chapel which was built by the Arberini family and then given to the Iuperini and Amidei families. The Dominicans began a reconstruction project from 1649-1656 that can be seen in the eight black and white marble columns which are the colors of their order. Martino Longhi directed this project but it was halted for lack of funds. Fra Giuseppe Paglia enlarged the chapel in 1676 but this was not completed until around 1700. The Dominican Pope Benedict XIII renovated the entire chapel in 1725 with Filippo Bracci directing the project. Pope Benedict XIII was later buried here in 1730. The carved balustrade is of polychrome marbles. St. Dominic (1170-1221) was founder of the Order or Preachers

Anchor 1 ▼ ▶ ◀ Portico

Anchor 1 ▼ Capranica Chapel • This is the sarcophagus that contained the body of St. Catherine of Siena from 1430-1855 . After 1855 her body was moved to the main altar where it currently lies ▲ ▶ ◀

Anchor 1 ▼ Holy Year Door Artist: Ludovico Consorti Date: 1949 • The top panels, from the left, are Christ Forgives a Sinner, Peter Asks Christ How Many Times We Must Forgive, Christ Forgives Peter after his Denial, Christ Forgives the Good Thief • The bottom panels, from the left, are St. Thomas' Unbelief, Institution of the Sacrament of Penance, Paul's Conversion, Pope Pius XII Opens the Holy Door in 1950 ▲

Anchor 1 ▼ Left Aisle ▲

Anchor 1 ▼ ▲ ▶ ◀ Portico Artist: Enrico Manfrini Date: 2000 • The door is of gilded bronze • This is the holy door which is opened on certain years by the Pope

Anchor 1 ▼ ▲ ▶ ◀ Annunciation Chapel Artist: Clemente Maioli Date: 1645 ca. • The painting is St. Lawrence with St. Agnes