How did the Belvedere Court connect parts of the Vatican Palace?

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Medallion depicting Pope Julius II — Julius II Julius II, contemporary medallion; in the coin collection of the Vatican Library.

Designed by Donato Bramante under the commission of Pope Julius II, the Belvedere Court was conceived to unify the disparate elements of the Vatican Palace.

The project connected the nucleus of the older Vatican palaces, located near St. Peter’s Basilica, with the pre-existing villa of Pope Innocent VIII situated on the hill above the palace. To bridge these structures, Bramante designed an immense, terraced complex that spanned three levels, joined by monumental stairs and enclosed on its long sides by arcaded loggias. This architectural feat was intended to create a cohesive, neo-antique space reminiscent of imperial palaces in ancient Rome.12