Today we were, quite literally, blown away. It’s 4:30, and we just got back to the hotel to see an alert from the Rome Consulate. They have sent everybody home because of a high wind warning, and cautioned to look out for falling objects. Coming from western Washington, we just thought it was normal. Truly the wind was really high, and the rain only moved in as we got back.
We started out this morning at the Vatican Museum. The two of us and several thousand other people. We took a cab, and headed across the Tiber River, and along the old city walls to the Vatican. Our cab let us off at the corner, and and the driver told us to skip the line and head for the door, due to the ticket we had. As we exited the cab, we were met by a man with a ID on a lanyard, which said tourist info. He told us our ticket didn’t have entrance to Saint Peter’s Basilica, but we could upgrade our ticket. It took us a moment to realize he was just trying to sell us a tour. The scam artists are really good these days.
We headed up the hill, went to the door and got right in. I firmly suggest the ‘skip the line’ tickets purchased in advance. We would have had to wait quite awhile otherwise. The line was down several blocks and around the corner. When we checked, our ticket did include Saint Peters – because it’s free.
We headed directly to the Sistine Chapel. There is so much to see in the Vatican
Museum, that it would take more than the day we had to see it. Like the Louvre, we tried to hit the highlights. It took a good 45 minutes to get to the chapel. The galleries leading to it were long and narrow, funneling people forward. I would have loved to stop and really look at some of the exhibits, but it wasn’t possible. The crowd was like a conveyor belt. One gallery was a map gallery, full of painted maps of what was known of the world. I was able to find a book in the gift shop on just that gallery, and I can’t wait to sit down and read it.
The Sistine Chapel was glorious. We found a seat on a bench that ran around the room. The audio guide was full of information about the creation of the paintings and what they represented.
The Vatican Museum was better than most places in Rome for directions, but still not great. Trying to match the number for the audio guide on the map to the actual rooms became a lost cause. So we just looked, and read the English signs when we found them.
We actually saw the Sistine Chapel twice. The short entrance to Saint Peter’s is off the right of the Sistine Chapel, otherwise it was a 30 minute walk around the outside walls, through Saint Peter’s Square. We chose the chapel route, and were able to see some things we hadn’t seen yet, as the museum is a virtual maze. It has 4 miles of exhibits, and that is only what is on display. The pictures below are details of some of the painted ceilings.
The detai in the smallest sculpture, or the most mundane piece is amazing. I got a close up of the base of a pillar. I’ve included the picture, and the entire column it was from. The area circled in red is the area of the closeup.
Saint Peter’s Basilica was a wonder. It’s hard to describe how magnificent the church is. Everywhere you look there is a bigger than life sculpture, or a marble detail, or a painted ceiling. Dominating the main alter is a seven story canopy by Bernini. Apparently it was made in bronze, but I couldn’t tell, because it is black today. It is still incredible, and sits over the alter, which sits over Peter’s tomb. The scale is difficult to describe, as is the grandeur.
There was a chapel on the side where they allowed people to come sit quietly. This turned out to be the site where Peter crucified. I sat for a long time in that area. For as large as the church is, this section was very quiet and serene, and leads one to prayer. I was concerned in some part, because this church is such a holy place, and it seemed that somehow it’s sanctity was diminished by the crowds of people always inside; believers, non believers, and people of other faiths. I feel that way about many churches I’ve seen in Europe. But as I was praying, I got a strong sense of amusement, and a very clear message that it is so much better to share the beauty and magnificence with all.
We left by way of Saint Peter’s Square, which looks small, as all the buildings are in perfect proportion, until you see people in it. Then you realize how amazingly huge it is. We ate at a local cafe, then wandered (were blown?) down to the Tiber River. We crossed at the Ponte Victor Emmanuel II, which gave us a terrific view of Castle Saint Angelo, or Hadrian’s Tomb. It’s magnificent, and sits right in a stat shaped defensive section of the old city walls. It’s would have been fun to explore, but we were pretty done for today.
Just across the river, we caught the 64 bus for home. Once again packed in like sardines. I saw the Victor Emmanuel II monument again as we went by. That’s something I’d love to explore further. A week is not nearly enough time to see what we want to see, but we’re giving it our best shot!
Miscellanous Pictures from today.
The following are of bookcases in the Vatican, used to house books hundreds of years ago. An early library reading room. The Vatican has halls of them.
Suzanne’s Travels 