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<center><img height='275' src='http://vaticanstamps.org/VPS/images/296/1568.jpg'> </center>			 			 			 			 			 Donato Bramante was born Donato di Pascuccio d'Antonio, in Fermignano, near Urbino in 1444. He studied painting in Urbino. Prior to his arrival in Rome, he worked as an architect for Duke Ludovico Sforza in Milan 1476-1499 designing such churches as the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan and the Duomo in Pavia. 
When the Sforza dynasty fell in 1499, Bramante relocated to Rome. Pope Julius II named Bramante papal architect in 1506. His most important project was the removal of Old St. Peter's Basilica and the design for the new Basilica. Bramante's architectural conception for the New St. Peter's was a structure in the form of a Greek Cross, with four large chapels, one in each corner between equal transepts, each with its dome, and a larger central dome over the crossing. The design resulted in a building of perfect symmetry. After his death in 1514, Bramante's design was modified by architects such as Michelangelo. 
Commissioned by Pope Julius II, Bramante also designed the Tempietto for the courtyard of the Church of San Pietro in Montorio, on the Janiculum Hill near the Circus of Nero, situated over where it was said St. Peter was martyred. Bramante designed the Courtyard of the Villa Belvedere, a summer retreat with formal gardens and terraces, a short distance from the Old St. Peter's Basilica. The Belvedere Courtyard linked the Basilica and Belvedere Palace. 
The octagonal courtyard of the Belvedere featured a spiral staircase which is reproduced in a souvenir sheet with two stamps. The €1,20 circular stamp features a portrait of Bramante. The circular stamp is the first produced by Vatican City. The spiral staircase is depicted on the €3,60 stamp on the souvenir sheet. 
 <center><img height='175' src='http://vaticanstamps.org/VPS/images/296/517.jpg'> </center>
The spiral staircase can also be seen on the 1972 (Scott 517) Vatican stamp.

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