The Vatican City is an artistic and religious treasure trove, that is the 3rd most visited museum in the world. Navigating this colossus of history requires planning to fully experience it. Being there multiple times, here are my tips and overview for the Vatican City attractions tour.
The Vatican City has monumental cultural sites, such as, the Sistine Chapel and Museums with Saint Peter’s Basilica. Independent from Rome, this religious center is the smallest sovereign state in the world. It’s ruled by the pope and head of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, the Doric colonnades frame the entrance to the Renaissance-style basilica. Also, in the center of the square is an Egyptian obelisk 25 m tall.
The Sistine Chapel is inside the residence of the pope. It’s most famous for the frescos by Michelangelo, such as, The Last Supper and the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. The Stanze di Raffaello is the 4 rooms created as a reception to the Apostolic Palace, with the famous frescoes painted by the Renaissance artist, Raphael. This is all part of the Vatican Museums. Additionally, half of Vatican City is made up of gardens and parks created during the Renaissance and Baroque eras. This is open to the public displaying beautiful landscapes, flowerbeds, fountains and sculptures.
Vatican City Attractions Tour Tips
Most Important Tip: Order tours or tickets online to avoid the long queues. There are various skip-the-lines tours to see the Basilica and Vatican Museums.
St. Peter’s Basilica and Piazza:
It’s nice to see St. Peter’s Basilica and piazza first before the Vatican Museums, to get the overall big picture. There are many tours available, from seeing the crypt to climbing up into the Dome for the best view in Rome. Wandering the Renaissance style basilica and Doric colonnades in the piazza is a great introduction to the grand perspective and history.
Cortile della Pigna:
We toured the courtyard, Cortile della Pinna, outside the Vatican featuring the ancient bronze pinecone that is 4 m high. It was originally found in the Middle Ages at the Baths of Agrippa.
Stanze di Raffaello or Raphael Rooms:
When you enter the Vatican Museums you first walk through the Raphael Rooms. Also known as Stanze di Raffaello, the 4 rooms are a reception to the Apostolic Palace. Overall, it features the famous frescoes painted by the Renaissance artist, Raphael. This is my absolute favorite part of The Vatican, even more than the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. The Raphael Rooms display some of the world’s best high Renaissance Art. So, don’t overlook it. Both Michelangelo and Raphael were commissioned at the same time during the High Renaissance. So, they had a healthy competition with each other.
The most famous fresco of Raphael and also my favorite is the School of Athens. This masterpiece displays the great Greek philosophers intermingling. In the center is Plato and Aristotle, each holding their books, along with other great thinkers, such as, Socrates, Pythagoras, Euclid, Ptolemy and Heraclitus. They are all interacting and doing a symbolic gesture based on their genius. Raphael painted the Disputa, symbolizing theology, that faces the School of Athens, contrasting the religious and classic philosopher’s beliefs.
The Sistine Chapel:
Michelangelo’s masterpiece is the Sistine Chapel Ceiling. Prepare your neck muscles for looking up, because it’s hard to look away from such detail and magnificence. The ceiling reveals 9 scenes from the Book of Genesis, such as, the most famous Creation of Adam.
It’s astounding to imagine how Michelangelo created such a display of art in this challenging position. Most people assume Michelangelo was lying down. However, he used scaffolds, allowing him to stand and reach above his head. Additionally, Michelangelo’s other fresco masterpiece is on the sanctuary wall, The Last Judgement. Other paintings are exhibited in the Sistine Chapel by other masters like Botticelli and Perugino with large tapestries by Raphael.
Overall, Vatican City Attractions
Truly, nothing compares to this concentrated epicenter’s depth, breadth and height of history. It’s overwhelming in a good way and humbling to be so awestruck. Here, religion and art go hand in hand. Ultimately, at the Vatican these worlds combine, so art is a religion and religion an art. Amore!
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