Papal Conclave Gallery

gallery photo

Detail atop Bernini's baldachino. Between the columns, two of the panels look as if they have small airplanes sculpted upon them. The "airplanes" are in fact bees, and constitute the coat of arms for the Barbarini family. Why? Simple. Before he was Pope Urban VIII and commissioned the building of the baldachino, Pope Urban VIII was known as Maffeo Barberini.