The Vatican Heresy: Bernini and the Building of the Hermetic Temple of the Sun

by Robert Bauval, Chiara Hohenzollern, Sandro Zicari (Primary Contributor)

Reveals how the largest Sun Temple in the world, built according to Hermetic principles, is located at one of Christianity’s holiest sites: the Vatican

• Shows how famous Renaissance philosophers and scientists called for a Hermetic reformation of Christianity by building a magical Temple of the Sun in Rome

• Explains how the Vatican architect Bernini designed St. Peter’s Square to reflect heliocentric and Hermetic principles

• Reveals how the design was masterminded by Bernini, Jesuit scholars, the mystical Queen Christine of Sweden, and several popes

In 16th century Italy, in the midst of the Renaissance, two powerful movements took hold. The first, the Hermetic Movement, was inspired by an ancient set of books housed in the library of Cosimo de’ Medici and written by the Egyptian sage Hermes Trismegistus. The movement expounded the return of the “true religion of the world” based on a form of natural magic that could draw down the powers of the heavens and incorporate them into statues and physical structures. The other movement, the Heliocentric Movement launched by Copernicus, was a direct challenge to the Vatican’s biblical interpretation of a geocentric world system. Declared a heresy by the Pope, those who promoted it risked the full force of the Inquisition.

Exploring the meeting point of these two movements, authors Robert Bauval and Chiara Hohenzollern reveal how the most outspoken and famous philosophers, alchemists, and scientists of the Renaissance, such as Giordano Bruno and Marsilio Ficino, called for a Hermetic reformation of the Christian religion by building a magical utopic city, an architectural version of the heliocentric system. Using contemporary documents and the latest cutting-edge theses, the authors show that this Temple of the Sun was built in Rome, directly in front of the Vatican’s Basilica of St. Peter. They explain how the Vatican architect Bernini designed St. Peter’s Square to reflect the esoteric principles of the Hermetica and how the square is a detailed representation of the heliocentric system.

Revealing the magical architectural plan masterminded by the Renaissance’s greatest minds, including Bernini, Jesuit scholars, Queen Christine of Sweden, and several popes, the authors expose the ultimate heresy of all time blessed by the Vatican itself.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Religion, Ancient History, Art, Architecture

304 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2014

About the author

Robert Bauval was born in Egypt in 1948. A construction engineer, his interest in Egyptology is longstanding, having lived in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East for much of his life. In the 1980s, he developed a line of study linking the pyramids and the so-called Pyramid Texts with astronomy and famously published the best-selling The Orion Mystery. He has also written three books with best-selling author Graham Hancock (The Message of the Sphinx, Talisman, and The Mars Mystery).

Reviews

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denna bok hade kunnat vara så mycket mycket bättre. Jag hittade den vid en slagning kring renässansfilosofen Giordano Bruno, och eftersom jag ofta tycker att alternativa historiska tolkningar och rena konspirationsteorier om historiska skeenden är rätt rolig läsning, öppnade jag den. Den första tredjedelen är bra. Den är en genomgång av Ficino (en annan renässansfilosof) och Bruno, och deras relation till Hermeticismen (ett slags mysteriekultstradition i renässansformat, senare spridd till div mystikergrupper). Hade denna del stått på egen hand, hade den varit en rätt kontroversiell men mycket spännande beskrivning av två intressanta tänkares liv.

Därefter följer en genomgång av några av de samtida Påvarna, och deras hov, inklusive en totalt misslyckat beskrivning av drottning Kristinas relation till katolska kyrkan. Denna del är kass. De tolkningar som presenteras är inte tillräckligt underbyggda, framförallt eftersom de delvis avviker från gängse beskrivningar.

Slutligen följer en teori om hur Peterskyrkan skall tolkas som symboliskt monument. Denna är mycket intressant, och bygger i princip på idén om att Petersplatsen skulle vara ett tyst erkännande av den heliocentriska världsbilden, vilket inte vore en omöjlig tolkning, givet Italiens konsthistorias relation till dess politiska historia.

Hade man utelämnat del två, och låtit bli att göra tvärsäkra uttalanden om att Kristina var något slags symbolisk Isis-gestalt, så hade boken varit intressant(are). I dagsläget kan jag inte hävda att den är dålig, men den går inte att ta på allvar. Vilket är synd. Både del 1 och 3 har poänger även om de är lite kontroversiella.

[Ian Hulstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should point out at the outset than I am a huge fan of Robert Bauval and the topics that he covers, and thus it pains me to give this book only three stars. But even giving it three is a compromise. The majority of this book is spent setting the stage for what Bauval hypes all the way through as some sort of grand reveal, but in the end the evidence we're left with is really pretty trivial.

I enjoyed the first couple chapters of the book immensely, where he guides us through the characters of the early Renaissance and their obsession with all things Hermetic and Egyptian. I remember the first time that I read the Poimandres and the profound impact it had on me, genuinely feeling as if I was imbibing the lost wisdom of the Pharoahs. As such, I found it very interesting to read about the role that the discovery and the translation of texts such as these had on the philosophy and thought of the time.
The rest of the book is spent drawing intriguing, and for the most past credible connections between Bernini, Kepler, Galileo, Queen Christina of Sweden, Athanasius Kircher and other influential thinkers in and around Rome and the halls of the Vatican leading up to the rebuilding of St Peters Square.
I found myself getting incredibly confused and frustrated, however, by the style Mr. Bauval uses to set the stage for his grand reveal. Just as we're starting to understand the characters and the overall timeline he begins yet another digression and travels back or forward in time, seemingly at random. This happens every dozen pages or so all the way through the book. This structure greatly inhibited my enjoyment of the book and at the end I'm still slightly confused how all the characters fit together. I believe that a quick synopsis at the end of each chapter would have gone a long way to remedying this.
By the time you get to the last chapter, and you realize the entirety of the physical evidence is the elliptical shape of the Piazza St Peter and the Obelisk in its center it seems a monumental anti-climax.

Overall, great subject matter, and I am certainly convinced that Hermetic thinking and symbolism was present in the art and architecture of the time - but the mystery/thriller structure, and the over-hyped premise does this book little credit.

[Lanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently the original religion of the 'ancients' lived on in the form of gnostic heretics. During the Renaissance secret hermetic knowledge was encoded into the building of the Vatican.

Dan Brown was right, Bernini does point the way.

Some interesting bits, some intriguing ideas.
I enjoyed bits of it.

[Suresh Ramaswamy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Vatican Heresy: Bernini and the Building of the Hermetic Temple of the Sun" by Robert Bauval and Chiara Hohenzollern is the story of Bernini and his construction of St. Peter’s square (?), outside the basilica at Vatican or is it St. Peter’s ellipse!

As the title itself suggests, the book is heretical – thank Jesus that the Church of Rome, no longer rules all Christendom and so there are no papal inquisitions, no torture in the dungeons and no burning at stake – therefore expect the book review too to be heretical.

A basic question, which every right thinking Christian should search his soul, the Dominicans and the Jesuits in particular, (with heartfelt apologies to my dad's teachers and rector in St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta – now Kolkata - India) who were in the forefront of the infamous Spanish Inquisition and its excesses. Their conduct was, if anything, most scandalous and unchristian. And here I commit the first heresy – Lord Jesus must be turning in his grave at the conduct of his followers and the persecution of the Jews and others [heretical, for as our knowledge of the Bible and faith dictates Jesus rested in his grave ONLY FOR THREE DAYS – so where is the question of Him turning in his grave.]

Having read a good number of books on various aspects of the Church of Rome, its conduct in the millennium and a few centuries thereafter, when it was all powerful – from the early fourth century CE to the end of seventeenth century CE – the only conclusion any unbiased reader can come to – is the Papacy was unbridled in its greed, obstinacy, cruelty and conduct in general.

The biggest irony is in the names the Popes took on assuming office. In the beginning of 400 CE the new pope took the title Innocent (Innocent I). In mid tenth century CE the name was Clement. I will only deal with these two names. Till 1725 CE there were 11 Innocents and the same number of Clements. I pause at 1725 because thereafter the Roman Catholic church gradually lost most of its clout as the number of Protestant countries multiplied manifold and the tithe paid to the Church of Rome steeply declined. By and large these Popes Innocent were anything but innocent and Popes Clements did not know the meaning of the word Clemency and sadly lacked that good quality. Here I will only touch upon Pope Innocent III (1198 – 1216) and Pope Clement VIII (1592 – 1605).

The Cathars sect believed that Jesus did not die on the cross – that he was married and had children, whose descendants form the various royal families of Europe – a great heresy, known to the Roman Church as the Albigensian Crusade. Under a papal bull issued by Pope Innocent III, in 1209, an army of 30,000 knights and foot soldiers descended on Languedoc – the mountainous foothills of north-eastern Pyrenees, in what is now southern France – and laid waste the entire region destroying crops, razing towns and cities and putting entire populations to sword. In the town of Beziers alone at least 15,000 men, women and children were slaughtered wholesale, many of them IN THE SANCTUARY OF THE CHURCH. This extermination occurred in so vast and terrible a scale – that it may well constitute the first case of ‘genocide’ in modern European history – and the Pope was INNOCENT!!!!!

The other Popes Innocents were not pure driven snow, but their cruelty and actions were not so monstrous as of Pope Innocent III.

The year was 1600. “It was that on a cold and damp winter’s morning in Rome, February 17, 1600, according to most accounts, Bruno was taken from his cell, chained, and escorted to Campo de Fiori, a small, open space not far from the Vatican. With Bruno were a few priests from the Company of Mercy and Pity, whose morbid duty was to lead heretics to their place of execution. Also in this morose procession were two Dominicans and two Jesuit monks who goaded Bruno and reminded him of his errors and heresies. At one stage Bruno cried out, “I die a willing martyr and my soul will rise with the smoke to paradise.” To shut him up a metal spike was pushed through his cheeks and another spike through his lips. Blood then gushed all over him. He was then tied to a wooden stake and burned alive.” Earlier for almost six years he had undergone sadistic tortures in the hands of Dominican and Jesuit priests – all sanctioned and approved by Pope Clement VIII. What a travesty of his name.

Again the other Popes Clement were not pure driven snow and they too lacked the quality of mercy and granting of clemency, but their cruelty and actions were not so monstrous as of Pope Clement VIII who occupied the throne of St. Peter at the peak of the Renaissance era.

In this book a good number of pages are devoted to Giordano Bruno and his hermetic mission. In 1548, five years after the death of Copernicus, in faraway southern Italy, Giordano Bruno is born in the small town of Nola near Naples. In adulthood this verbose and astonishingly courageous “Nolano” would not only promote Copernican heliocentrism but would also very cleverly combine it with the Hermetic movement, creating a potent, intellectual brew that would rattle the very foundations of the Vatican. For unlike Ficino’s pussyfooting with natural magic and Pico’s roundabout attempt to Christianize it, Bruno went all out, head on, right for the jugular of the papacy by calling for a full restoration of the magical religion of the Egyptians to actually replace Christianity!

Giordano Bruno began his adult life within the Catholic Church by enrolling in the Dominican Order in the year 1563. But six years later he got into trouble with his fellow monks at the monastery, who accused him of reading pagan books and reported him to the Inquisition. When Bruno found out that he was about to be arrested and charged with no less than 130 heresies against the Catholic Church, he disrobed himself of his priestly garments and escaped from the monastery. It was at this point in his life that he probably formulated his mission in his mind: “the full restoration of the Egyptian religion of Hermes Trismegistus.” Thus began Bruno’s mission, which would bring him to a head-on collision with the Vatican, with disastrous consequences for both . . .

The original religion of the 'ancients' lived on in the form of gnostic heretics. During the Renaissance secret hermetic knowledge was encoded into the building of the Vatican. Overall, great subject matter, and I am certainly convinced that Hermetic thinking and symbolism was present in the art and architecture of the time.

In 16th century Italy, in the midst of the Renaissance, two powerful movements took hold. The first, the Hermetic Movement, was inspired by an ancient set of books housed in the library of Cosimo de’ Medici and written by the Egyptian sage Hermes Trismegistus. The movement expounded the return of the “true religion of the world” based on a form of natural magic that could draw down the powers of the heavens and incorporate them into statues and physical structures. The other movement, the Heliocentric Movement launched by Copernicus, was a direct challenge to the Vatican’s biblical interpretation of a geocentric world system. Declared a heresy by the Pope, those who promoted it risked the full force of the Inquisition.

Exploring the meeting point of these two movements, the book reveals how the most outspoken and famous philosophers, alchemists, and scientists of the Renaissance, such as Giordano Bruno and Marsilio Ficino, called for a Hermetic reformation of the Christian religion by building a magical utopic city, an architectural version of the heliocentric system. Using contemporary documents and the latest cutting-edge theses, the authors show that this Temple of the Sun was built in Rome, directly in front of the Vatican’s Basilica of St. Peter. They explain how the Vatican architect Bernini designed St. Peter’s Square to reflect the esoteric principles of the Hermetica and how the square is a detailed representation of the heliocentric system.

Yes, it is an interesting book. I was expecting to get a lot more architectural information and it was primarily a history book regarding specific people before and during the construction of St. Peter's Piazza. The author really only has one significant point to make and so this waits until the end of the book and is only supported by the question of "how could they have not known what they were doing". Is his assertion dynamite to some? Most likely, but as yet un answered!!!!

I liked reading the book and have no hesitation in recommending it to the readers of this genre

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utter twaddle, a complete waste of time and a scandalous waste of money putting even one copy of this sub sub Eric Von Dynaken idiocy on library shelves. There is no point spending any more time on this rubbish.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with many books that I don't love this book just doesn't seem to meet my expectations for the author and the premise stated in the title.

Yes, it is an interesting book. I was expecting to get a lot more architectural information and it was primarily a history book regarding specific people before and during the construction of St. Peter's Piazza. The author really only has one significant point to make and so this waits until the end of the book and is only supported by the question of "how could they have not known what they were doing". Is his assertion dynamite to some? Most likely. Was I blown away? No.

I've read about Bruno and Campanella before and did not need so much of this information. Mr. Bauval states that the architectural analyses of the site has been done thousands of times and so he does not elaborate. I would have appreciated more here. I do not intend to research this topic beyond this book.

I also understand from previous reading that the temple of Luxor in Egypt is supposed to represent Man in its design and there is only minimal comparison in this book to any corresponding features. There is a brief comparison in the Appendix of Luxor and Paris which is obviously not even the focus of this book.

Sigh

[Zdenek Sykora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explores the provocative theory that the Vatican, particularly St. Peter's Basilica and its surrounding architecture, was designed not just as a center of Catholicism “the open arms of Mother Church.” but also as a monument infused with Hermetic, pagan, and esoteric symbols. Bauval and Hohenzollern argue that Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Giovanni Lorenzo), under the influence of Hermetic philosophy, played a key role in embedding these hidden elements into the heart of Christendom, creating a "Hermetic Temple of the Sun" in Rome.

Central Argument
Bauval and Hohenzollern present a compelling case that the architecture of the Vatican, especially the design of St. Peter's Square, was heavily influenced by Hermetic and solar symbolism. They contend that the Vatican’s most iconic structures, including the obelisk at the center of St. Peter’s Square, are not merely Christian monuments but are also deeply rooted in ancient Egyptian and Hermetic traditions. According to the authors, Bernini, who designed much of St. Peter's Square, was significantly influenced by Hermeticism and aimed to create a structure that was aligned with these esoteric principles.

The book suggests that this influence is part of a broader "Vatican heresy," where the official narrative of Catholicism is intertwined with hidden, pagan ideologies. I personally like book The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop on this subject. Bauval propose that this synthesis was intentional and that figures like Bernini, as well as others in the Vatican hierarchy, were fully aware of the dual nature of these symbols.

Key points

1. Hermetic and Solar Symbolism: The book delves into the Hermetic tradition, particularly its focus on solar worship and its connection to ancient Egyptian religion. Bauval and Hohenzollern argue that these elements were consciously incorporated into the Vatican’s architecture, with the obelisk in St. Peter’s Square serving as a central piece of this symbolic framework.
2. Bernini's Role: Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the renowned Baroque artist and architect, is portrayed as a central figure in this narrative. The authors claim that Bernini, influenced by Hermetic philosophy, intentionally designed the layout of St. Peter’s Square to align with the principles of solar worship and Hermeticism. They argue that Bernini's work was a deliberate attempt to embed these esoteric symbols into the very heart of the Vatican.
3. The Obelisk of St. Peter’s Square: The authors focus heavily on the ancient Egyptian obelisk that stands at the center of St. Peter's Square. They suggest that its placement is not merely decorative but is deeply symbolic, representing the convergence of Christian and pagan beliefs. The obelisk, a symbol of the sun in ancient Egypt, is reinterpreted in this context as a Hermetic symbol of hidden knowledge and power.
4. Historical Context and Impact: The book places the construction of these symbols within the broader context of Renaissance and Baroque Europe, a period when many intellectuals were fascinated by Hermeticism and other esoteric traditions. The authors argue that the influence of these ideas on the Vatican’s architecture represents a significant, though often overlooked, aspect of European history.

Author’s Writing Style and Approach
Bauval and Hohenzollern adopt a narrative style that is both investigative and provocative. Their approach is speculative, often challenging established historical interpretations. The book is rich with historical detail and draws on a wide range of sources, including architectural analysis, historical documents, and esoteric texts. The authors present their arguments with confidence, although some readers might find the speculative nature of their claims to be controversial.
Strengths and Potential Weaknesses

Strengths:
• Original Perspective: The book offers a unique interpretation of the Vatican’s architecture, providing readers with a fresh perspective on one of the world’s most famous religious sites.
• Interdisciplinary Approach: By combining elements of history, architecture, and esotericism, the authors create a compelling narrative that appeals to readers interested in the intersections of these fields.

Weaknesses:
• Speculative Nature: Some of the book’s claims are highly speculative and may not be supported by mainstream historical scholarship. This could be seen as a weakness for readers looking for more concrete evidence.
• Controversial Theories: The suggestion that the Vatican’s architecture is rooted in pagan and Hermetic traditions is likely to be contentious, particularly among scholars and religious historians

Target Audience
This book is aimed at readers interested in alternative histories, esotericism, and the hidden meanings behind religious and architectural symbols. It will appeal to those who enjoy speculative theories and are open to challenging conventional narratives about the Vatican and its history.

Conclusion
The Vatican Heresy is a thought-provoking book that challenges traditional interpretations of the Vatican’s architecture and symbolism. By suggesting that Hermetic and pagan elements are deeply embedded in St. Peter's Square and other Vatican structures, Bauval and Hohenzollern offer a controversial but fascinating perspective on the intersection of religion, art, and esoteric traditions. While some of the book’s claims may be speculative, it nonetheless provides a stimulating exploration of the hidden history of one of the world’s most iconic religious sites.

We have to ask: Why does Italy have so many obelisks, especially considering that Rome has more obelisks than any other country in the world, including Egypt? We know from records that 48 obelisks were shipped from Egypt to Rome under Roman rule, yet today, we have found only 13 of those originally brought here. Maybe the number 13 also is an unlucky number for devout Christians.

[Aindriú Mac Giolla Eoin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and easy read - food for thought. Much of it I never would hear about in mainstream media.

[Kat Starwolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why is the Vatican Artwork Pagan?

Excellent book by Robert Bauval and Chiara Hohenzollern about how ‘pagan’ the Vatican and thus Christianity truly is. Backed up by numerous examples of art, statues et al ordered to be created by various Popes. From the Egyptian obelisk that stands in front of the Vatican to fountains, statues etc., which are obviously honoring various gods, goddesses and other so-called ‘pagan’ personalities. You may have to see it if you don’t believe it.

Still, it boils down to the question: Why is the Vatican artwork pagan? Maybe they thought no one would figure it out?

Great research project.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Robert Bauval and Chiara Hohenzollern provide interesting historical insights into the Vatican’s oftentimes cruel and horrible persecution of great men who dared entertain ideas of a heliocentric nature back in the day, this book failed to live up to the hype promised by its title. In fact, I found myself surprised to confront a postscript and two appendices rather than another chapter after finishing chapter five. The aha or voila moment I expected never came. Yes, the authors’ suggestion that Saint Peter’s Square seems to reflect heliocentric principles would seem to be correct, and it does seem rather strange that the architect Bernini would have knowingly done this given the Vatican’s strong resistance to any challenges to geocentrism at that time, but ultimately there just isn’t much force to the authors’ argument. It’s like watching a defense attorney work diligently through an entire trial only to forego the opportunity of bringing everything together and hammering his points home in a closing argument. There’s just no forcefulness or passion in Bauval’s argument, and the book suffers from a seeming absence of any real attempt to summarize the importance of the authors’ conclusions or to explain why it’s really such a big deal.

I did learn a lot about the Hermetic tradition and its ancient Egyptian origins, but the presentation became weaker as Bauval worked his way to the building of the relevant architectural monuments in Rome. The authors point to the influence and involvement of a number of individuals, several of which I was previously unfamiliar with, and their tendency to bounce back and forth in time made it harder for me to keep up with who did what and when. It is not an easy book to get through, especially if you are not mathematically inclined, but it is really the anti-climactic ending of the book that left me feeling disappointed. For a book that promises heretical revelations about the Vatican in the title, I do not see even many Bauval fans taking much away from a reading of this book (and many a casual fan losing interest long before working his/her way up to the big reveal that never comes). Despite the hype of the title, this book definitely ends with a whisper rather than a bang. Apparently, I actually first read this book three years ago, yet I just read through it again without any of the material seeming familiar.