Braccio Nuovo
Vatican Museums
The Braccio Nuovo is a powerful and imposing structure that separates the Courtyard of the “Pigna” from the Courtyard of the “Belvedere”. Pius VII decided to build it in when the works that Napoleon had taken to Paris were returned to Rome in 1817.
Designed by Roman architect Raffaele Stern, the building opened in 1822. It contains a collection of several famous Roman era statues including; the Augusto found at Prima Porta, a Roman copy of the Doryphorus (the spear bearer), and the Athena Giustiniani.