At the age of 71, Michelangelo took over the direction of the most important building project in Europe – the Fabbrica of St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelangelo redesigned the great building, including its dome. Since Michelangelo died before the construction of the dome, there is much debate amongst scholars regarding how faithfully the dome follows Michelangelo’s original intentions – particularly regarding its shape. Was Michelangelo’s dome meant to be hemispherical or its current elliptical shape? Either way, the dome soars above Rome in celebration of Renaissance beauty. Buona visione!