Stanza dell'Incendio di Borgo 01

The main fresco depicts Pope Leo III crowning Charlemagne in Old St. Peter's Basilica, with figures modeled after contemporary 16th-century rulers. To the left, a portion of the 'Fire in the Borgo' is visible, showing citizens fleeing flames in a classical architectural setting. The vaulted ceiling is decorated with gold grotesque patterns surrounding four medallions that portray the Trinity and Christ in various divine aspects.

This room represents the political and theological synthesis of the High Renaissance, justifying Papal authority through historical precedent. Raphael's preservation of Perugino's earlier ceiling illustrates the continuity of sacred tradition within the evolving humanistic style of the Vatican.