Italy-3266 - The Baldacchino
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Bernini's first work at St. Peter's was to design the baldacchino, a pavilion-like structure 30 metres (98 ft) tall and claimed to be the largest piece of bronze in the world, which stands beneath the dome and above the altar.
The twisted barley-sugar shape columns have a special significance as the column to which Jesus was bound before his crucifixion was believed to be of that shape. Bernini created four huge columns of bronze, twisted and decorated with olive leaves and bees, which were the emblem of Pope Urban.