Steve in the Breakfast Room of B&BRome4U - Our Home in Rome!
It was an easy walk from our B&B to the Vatican and I was still amazed to realise I was really in Rome.
As we neared the Vatican the circular avenue of columns came into view.
Individual marble statues of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and the eleven apostles lined the rooftop of St Peter's Basilica - they were beautiful and each was 5.7 metres tall
Steve in the centre of St Peter's Square and behind him stands the obelisk, built in Egypt in 1835 BC and brought to Rome in 37 BC by Emperor Caligula for his circus, was moved here in 1586 AD. Words can't describe the magnitude of the size and beauty of this square, with 140 white marble statues of saints from the early church lining all the rooftops, each approximately 3 metres tall – they seemed like sentries surveying the "little people" - and supported by 284 Doric columns and 88 pilasters of travertine marble, each 13 metres tall arranged in four circular rows.
We stood in awe in St Peter's Square with St Peter's Basilica as the central focal point
On our way to the tour entrance we saw, perched on a hill overlooking the Vatican, the imposing Vatican Observatory
We then walked around the huge walls of the Vatican City itself, they were so high and imposing, until we reached the main entrance to join our tour
The crowds were starting to gather so it was great that we had purchased "Skip the Line" tickets.
At the beginning of the tour we had to go up the longest elevator either of us had ever seen. It was approximately three times the length of a normal one, and very steep, and looking back down it made me quite dizzy, to the extent that I started to feel quite sick afterwards, another complication with the meds I was on. After sitting down and missing the talk Eleanor, our guide, gave at the huge model of Vatican City, I began to feel better so was able to join the tour.
The amazing model of the Vatican City at the start of our tour. It was only after we got home that we realised that Lidia and Rick, who we met in San Siro on Lake Como and shared many meals with, had been on this tour, too. She is seen in the brown jacket on the left of this picture.
Over four million people visit the Vatican Museums each year - I'm not surprised as they really are spectacular, filled with priceless treasures and amazing artwork.
The Pine-Cone Courtyard was built in 1816 by Pirro Ligorio. Located under the Nicchione (Big Nich) is the large pine-cone, nearly four metres high, which gives the courtyard its name, and is flanked by two bronze peacocks. It was found in the baths of Agrippa and used as a fountain. During the Middle Ages the cone was located in the hall of the ancient Basilica until it was moved here in 1608.
Ochre buildings against a deep blue sky in the Pine Cone Courtyard
Golden "Sphere Within a Sphere" located in the Pine Cone Courtyard
Around the perimeter of the Pine Cone Courtyard there were large signs depicting the paintings inside the Sistine Chapel. As guides are not allowed in the chapel to ensure noise is kept to a minimum we were given a full "tour" of the Chapel using the pictures as a guide.
The Last Judgement takes up one entire wall of the Sistine Chapel and is immaculate in detail.
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is amazing and this image can't possibly capture the reality of the detail and its immense size
The tour itself was fantastic and lasted for about two and a half hours. We saw amazing sculptures, paintings, tapestries with all the ceilings painted or sculpted so intricately with gold leaf and sculptures amidst the fresco paintings above. There was so much to see you couldn't take it all in and would really need about a week to see everything.
The following are a tiny portion of what we saw. Unfortunately photos cannot do them justice.
Foot & Sandal Detail on a Marble Statue
Marble Statue of Reclining Moses
Marble Naked Youth in Pius Clementine Museum
Marble Statue of Laocoon, Sons & Serpents
Detailed marble fresco of three early Roman scenes
Sculptured Donkey Head in the Animal Room
Marble Torso Del Belvedere in Rotunda Room - a mutilated sculpture of Hercules from the First Century BC especially appreciated by Michelangelo
Ceiling in the Rotunda Room - Absolutely stunning and so much detail
Beautiful intricate mosaic floor from the Third Century AD in the Rotunda Room - the detail was incredible with its representation of the conflict between the Greeks and Centaurs, Tritons and Nereids
Gilded bronze statue of Hercules from Second Century AD
Red Marble Monopithic Porphyry Basin from Nero's House - Second Century AD
One of many huge marble statues in the Rotunda Room
Mosaic floor of Goddess Minerva surrounded by the Phases of the Moon - Third Century AD
Entering one of the many Vatican Museums through iron gates - each ceiling had marble carvings or intricate paintings
Amazing detail in one of the many painted ceilings
Beautiful painting with the Colosseum and other buildings in Rome
Gold leaf detail on one of the marble carved ceilings
Marble bust of Pope Leo XIII - beautiful detail
Beautifully carved marble ceiling in the Vatican Museums
The Hall of Maps had a painted & carved ceiling that was about a hundred foot long - it was astounding and you couldn't take everything in as there were 40 ancient maps - all of them about three metres long and about four metres high - covering the walls on both sides
Intricate detail on the ceiling of The Hall of Maps
One of forty ancient maps in The Hall of Maps - the detail was amazing for being plotted and painted so long ago
Closeup of one of the panels in the ceiling in The Hall of Maps
Intricate detail on one of the ancient maps
Elaborate ceiling in The Hall of Maps
Huge painting of the Crusades - about 5 metres long and amazing detail!
An amazing three dimensional painting - there was beautiful artwork everywhere we looked
Amazing ceilings in every room we entered
Intricately painted ceiling with gold leaf
Incredibly detailed ceiling fresco of youths with gold mosaic tiles
"Woman on Sphere", with gold mosaic tiles
"Christ on His Throne" - a huge painting with incredible detail and gold leaf throughout.
The sign for the most famous Chapel in the Vatican Museums - we were nearly at the end of this amazing tour.
At the end of the tour we visited the Sistine Chapel, which was quite intimate and small but the art work was stunning and knowing that Michelangelo had spent so many hours painting the ceiling on scaffolding so high up was almost too hard to fathom. It was amazing to think his face was so close to it all while painting but he was still able to portray the dimensions so accurately and with such detail. It truly was breathtaking and a shame we couldn't take photos to convey how beautiful it was.
Just outside the Sistine Chapel there was a simple stained glass window of Mary holding Jesus after His death, which was quite beautiful in its simplicity
We caught a glimpse of the immenseness of the Vatican Walls as we peeked through a tiny window after exiting the Sistine Chapel.
The gates at the top of the stairs where you exit the Vatican Museums were made of heavy timber and were huge.
Eleanor, our guide throughout the tour, was terrific and very knowledgeable as well as obviously loved her job. We would recommend a trip to the Vatican Museums is a must if you visit Rome. It is visually stunning and full of so many priceless treasures.
From the Sistine Chapel we descended a beautiful corridor of stairs
before proceeding through a courtyard where a white marble statue of one of the Pope's was on display.
and then we walked through a huge archway which led us back to St Peter's Square.
An absolutely amazing tour which was well worth the time, money and effort and I'm so glad we were able to join the tour and enjoy these fantastic treasures.
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