contradistinction to the square, axially placed altar. Despite this, and its complex history, the building gives us insight into the ambitions of Renaissance architects in their struggle to bring coherence to the architectural language of columns, pilasters, arches and vaults. Between the pilasters in the transept there are tall, blank, round headed panels and, above them, roundels, common Renaissance decorative motifs. The architectural elements of the interior are all in pietra serena, a high quality, fine grained sandstone. The load-bearing structure of this building is its masonry, i.e. it is the walls that support the arches and domes, not the pilasters which are decorative rather than structural. The tondi of the seated Apostles are by Luca della Robbia, who also did the terracotta decorations in the cupola of the porch. It has been suggested that the roundels of the Evangelists may have been the work of Donatello. See also History of medieval Arabic and Western European domes History of Italian Renaissance domes History of early modern period domes References External links GreatBuildings.com | Pazzi Chapel 15th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Chapels in Florence Filippo Brunelleschi church buildings Pazzi family Capella Pazzi