Editing St. Peter's Basilica (section)

====Maderno's nave====
[[File:St-peters-basilica-interior-pannini-1731.jpg|thumb|Maderno's nave, looking towards the chancel, as painted by [[Giovanni Paolo Pannini]], 1731|alt=A painting of the interior of the vast building with arcades, and a coffered ceiling]]

To the single bay of Michelangelo's Greek Cross, Maderno added a further three bays. He made the dimensions slightly different from Michelangelo's bay, thus defining where the two architectural works meet. Maderno also tilted the axis of the nave slightly. This was not by accident, as suggested by his critics. An ancient [[List of obelisks in Rome|Egyptian obelisk]] had been erected in the square outside, but had not been quite aligned with Michelangelo's building, so Maderno compensated, in order that it should, at least, align with the Basilica's façade.<ref name=JL-M/>

The nave has huge paired [[pilaster]]s, in keeping with Michelangelo's work. The size of the interior is so "stupendously large" that it is hard to get a sense of scale within the building.<ref name=JL-M/>{{NoteTag|The word "stupendous" is used by a number of writers trying to adequately describe the enormity of the interior. These include James Lees-Milne and Banister Fletcher.}} The four [[cherub]]s who flutter against the first piers of the nave, carrying between them two [[holy water]] basins, appear of quite normal cherubic size, until approached. Then it becomes apparent that each one is over 2 metres high and that real children cannot reach the basins unless they scramble up the marble draperies. The aisles each have two smaller [[chapel]]s and a larger rectangular chapel, the Chapel of the Sacrament and the Choir Chapel. These are lavishly decorated with marble, stucco, [[Gilding|gilt]], [[sculpture]] and [[mosaic]]. Remarkably, all of the large altarpieces, with the exception of the Holy Trinity by Pietro da Cortona in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, have been reproduced in mosaic.  Two precious paintings from the old basilica, Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Our Lady of the Column are still being used as altarpieces.

Maderno's last work at St. Peter's was to design a crypt-like space or "Confessio" under the dome, where the [[Cardinal (Catholicism)|cardinals]] and other privileged persons could descend in order to be nearer to the burial place of the apostle. Its marble steps are remnants of the old basilica and around its [[Baluster|balustrade]] are 95 bronze lamps.