Plate XI
It is also in this plate that, from the first to the second edition, Piranesi effectively operates one of the most dramatic expansions of the space in the whole series. The artist multiplied the formerly somewhat flattened background towards the depth of the pictorial space, greatly extending the interior areas inside the building.
Piranesi releases the space in the lower half of the illustration by replacing the barred grid below the archway with an open passage that reveals the depths of the space. Likewise, in the upper half, countless new areas seem to grow in profundity and intricacy. Correspondingly, the second state is much more populated with human figures, including a procession that takes place in the projected platform between the two sentry boxes. As in other plates, people hang a cloth on the parapet, emulating the Catholic festivals that occurred in Piranesi's time.