TRAVEL VATICAN
GENERAL INFORMATION - Vatican city (Holy See) is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state, ruled by the Bishop of Rome-the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergymen of various national origins. The city has cultural sites such as St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. They feature some of the world's most famous paintings and sculptures. The unique economy of Vatican City is supported financially by the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums and the sale of publications. Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. Encircled by a 2-mile border with Italy, Vatican City is an independent city-state and gained independence on 11 February 1929 and covers just over 100 acres. The Vatican mints its own Euros, prints its own stamps, issues passports and license plates, operates media outlets and has its own flag and anthem. One government function is ,it lacks- taxation. The St. Peter’s Basilica sits atop a city of the dead, including its namesake’s tomb .The Roman necropolis stood on Vatican Hill in pagan times.When a great fire levelled much of Rome in A.D. 64, Emperor Nero, seeking to shift blame from himself, accused the Christians of starting the blaze. He executed them by burning them at the stake, tearing them apart with wild beasts and crucifying them. Among those crucified was St. Peter—disciple of Jesus Christ, leader of the Apostles and the first Bishop of Rome—who was supposedly buried in a shallow grave on Vatican Hill. By the fourth century ,the official recognition of the Christian religion in Rome, Emperor Constantine began construction of the original basilica atop the ancient burial ground and was believed to be the tomb of St. Peter at its centre. The present basilica, built starting in the 1500s, sits over a maze of catacombs and St. Peter’s suspected grave. Roman Emperor Caligula built a small circus in his mother’s gardens at the base of Vatican Hill where charioteers trained and where Nero is thought to have martyred the Christians. To crown the centre of the amphitheatre, Caligula had his forces transported from Egypt a pylon that had originally stood in Heliopolis. The obelisk, made of a single piece of red granite weighing more than 350 tons, was erected for an Egyptian pharaoh more than 3,000 years ago. In 1586 it was moved to its present location in St. Peter’s Square, where it does double duty as a giant sundial. Popes ruled over a collection of sovereign Papal States throughout central Italy until the country was unified in 1870. The new secular government had seized all the land of the Papal States with the exception of the small patch of the Vatican and a cold war of sorts then broke out between the Church and the Italian government. Popes refused to recognize the authority of the Kingdom of Italy and the Vatican remained beyond Italian national control. Pope Pius IX proclaimed himself as a “prisoner of the Vatican,” and for almost 60 years popes refused to leave the Vatican and submit to the authority of the Italian government. When Italian troops were present in St. Peter’s Square, Popes even refused to give blessings or appear from the balcony overlooking the public space. The dispute between the Italian government and the Catholic Church ended in 1929 with the signing of the Lateran Pacts, which allowed the Vatican to exist as its own sovereign state and compensated the church with $92 million (more than $1 billion in today’s money) for the Papal States. The Vatican used the payment as seed money to re-grow its coffers. Mussolini, the head of the Italian government, signed the treaty on behalf of King Victor Emmanuel III. Even after the construction of the original St. Peter’s Basilica, popes lived principally at the Lateran Palace across Rome. They even left the city altogether in 1309 when the papal court moved to Avignon, France, after King Philip IV arranged for a French Cardinal to be elected pope. Seven popes, all French, ruled from Avignon and the papacy did not return to Rome until 1377, by which time the Lateran Palace had burned and the Vatican started to be used as a papal residence. The Swiss Guard, recognizable by its armour and colourful Renaissance-era uniforms, has been protecting the pontiff since 1506. That’s when Pope Julius II, following the footsteps of many European courts of the time, hired one of the Swiss mercenary forces for his personal protection. The Swiss Guard’s role in Vatican City is strictly to protect the safety of the pope. Although the world’s smallest standing army appears to be strictly ceremonial, its soldiers are extensively trained and highly skilled marksmen. And the force is entirely comprised of Swiss citizens. At several times during the Vatican’s history, popes escaped through a secret passageway. In 1277, a half-mile-long elevated covered passageway, the Passetto di Borgo, was constructed to link the Vatican with the fortified Castel Saint’ Angelo on the banks of the Tiber River. It served as an escape route for popes, in 1527 when it saved the life of Pope Clement VII during the sack of Rome. When the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V rampaged through the city and murdered priests and nuns, the Swiss Guard held back the enemy long enough to allow Clement to safely reach the Castel Saint’ Angelo, although 147 of the pope’s forces lost their lives in the battle. As of 2011, the number of people with Vatican citizenship totalled 594. That number included 71 cardinals, 109 members of the Swiss Guard, 51 members of the clergy and one nun inside the Vatican walls. The largest group of citizens, however, was the 307 members of the clergy in diplomatic positions around the world. The only aviation facility in Vatican City is the Vatican City Heliport. There is a standard gauge railway connected to Italy's network at Rome's Saint Peter's station by an 852-metre-long, only 300 meters of which is within Vatican territory. The City is served by an independent, modern telephone system, the Vatican Pharmacy, and post office.
HISTORY-The history of the Vatican as a papal residence dates from the 5th cent., when, after Emperor Constantine I had built the basilica of St. Peter's, Pope Symmachus built a palace nearby. In 592, two years after his election, Pope Gregory I accepted the role of the Bishop of Rome as a temporal ruler of the city of Rome. Gregory used monastic establishments to spread the church's spiritual rule throughout Europe. Popes in their secular role gradually came to govern neighbouring regions and, through the Roman States, ruled a large portion of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid-19th century, when all of the territory belonging to the Papacy was seized by the newly created Kingdom of Italy.The Vatican City State, sovereign and independent, is the survivor of the Papal States that in 1859 comprised an area of some 17,000 sq. mile (44,030 sq. km).In 1870, the Pope's holdings were left in an uncertain situation when Rome itself was annexed by the Piedmont-led forces which had united the rest of Italy, after a nominal resistance by the papal forces. During the Italian unification, from 1860 to 1870, most of this area became part of Italy. By an Italian law of May 13, 1871, the temporal power of the pope was abrogated, and the territory of the papacy was confined to the Vatican and Lateran palaces and the villa of Castel Gandolfo. Between 1861 and 1929 the status of the Pope was referred to as the "Roman Question". Italy made no attempt to interfere with the Holy See within the Vatican walls. However, they confiscated church property in many places. In 1871, the Palazzo Quirinale (for centuries the Papal Palace), was confiscated by the king of Italy and became the royal palace. Thereafter the popes resided undisturbed within the Vatican walls, and certain papal prerogatives were recognized by the Law of Guarantees, including the right to send and receive ambassadors. The popes consistently refused to recognize this arrangement. The Popes did not recognize the Italian king's right to rule in Rome, and they refused to leave the Vatican compound until the dispute was resolved in 1929; Pope Pius IX (1846–78), the last ruler of the Papal States, claimed that after Rome was annexed he was a "Prisoner in the Vatican". The Lateran Treaty of Feb. 11, 1929, between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy was signed by Prime Minister and Head of Government Benito Mussolini on behalf of King Victor Emmanuel III and by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri for Pope Pius XI, established the autonomy of the Holy See. Forced to give up secular power, the popes focused on spiritual issues. The pope usually resided in the Lateran Palace until the "Babylonian captivity" (14th cent.) in Avignon, France. After the return of the papacy to Rome (1377) the Vatican became the usual residence. The Renaissance popes, principally Sixtus IV, Innocent VIII, Alexander VI, Julius II, Leo X, and Clement VII, were great patrons of the arts and it was they who began to assemble the great collections and to construct the wonderful galleries. Gregory XIII and Sixtus V spent huge sums on the Vatican and also began the Quirinal, a palace that served as the papal residence from the 17th to the 19th century.
GEOGRAPHY-The Vatican City State is situated on the Vatican hill, on the right bank of the Tiber River, within the city of Rome. It is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. Vatican City is the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population. Within the territory of Vatican City are the Vatican Gardens, which account for more than half of this territory. The gardens, established during the Renaissance and Baroque era, are decorated with fountains and sculptures .The gardens cover approximately 23 hectares (57 acres) which is most of the Vatican Hill. Stone walls bound the area in the North, South and West. The best way to walk to Vatican City from historic Rome is over the Ponte St. Angelo Bridge. Across the bridge, one arrives at Castel St. Angelo, just outside Vatican City. Castel St. Angelo has a connecting passage to the Vatican once used by fleeing popes.
AREA- 0.44 Km2 (110acres). With a boundary only 3.2 km around.
POPULATION- 836
CURENCY- EURO
CO-ORDINATES- 41054.2’N 12027.2E
TIME ZONE- UTC+1, Summer UTC+2
CLIMATE-The temperature is as follows-
TIME ZONE- UTC+1, Summer UTC+2
CLIMATE-The temperature is as follows-
MONTH JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Ave High °C 12 13 15 18 23 27 30 31 26 21 16 13
Ave Low °C 3 3 5 7 12 15 18 18 15 11 7 4
Ave High °C 12 13 15 18 23 27 30 31 26 21 16 13
Ave Low °C 3 3 5 7 12 15 18 18 15 11 7 4
VATIAN CITY ATTRATIONS-
001-SAINT PETERS BASILICA- The present site of church is the 1st century AD; the site of the Circus of Nero and a cemetery. According to ancient tradition, St. Peter was martyred in the Circus and buried nearby. The church is located on Vatican Hill, across the Tiber river from the historic centre of Rome. The location is highly symbolic due to the site where Saint Peter, the chief apostle, died as a martyr and where he was buried in 64 AD. St. Peter is considered the first pope. In the early fourth century Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Emperor of Rome, build a basilica on Vatican Hill at the site of small shrine that marked the likely location of the tomb of St. Peter. Construction of the basilica started between 319 and 322. It was consecrated in 326 AD and finally completed around 349 AD. The new basilica was laid by Julius II in 1506 that became the largest church of the world (the new Basilica of Yamoussoukro may have surpassed it). The church was finally deconsecrated in 1626 by pope Urban VIII, exactly 1300 years after the consecration of the first church and 120 years after the start of new church. St. Peter's Basilica architects were masters including Bramante, Michelangelo and Bernini. Vatican City is completely surrounded by the city of Rome. Entrance to the basilica is free but make sure you are dressed properly since a very strict dress code is enforced with no bare knees or shoulders.
The building is very impressive as it has 211.5 meters long nave. The crowning piece of the St. Peter's Basilica is the majestic dome which was designed by Michelangelo .The dome s 132.5 meters high and of 42 meters diameters. The great double dome is made of brick and rising 120 meters above floor. The dome is a parabolic in shape .The dome rests on four massive five-sided pillars. On top of the pillars rests a cylindrical drum - with sixteen large rectangular windows - that supports the ribbed vault. The ribs come together at the oculus on which an enormous lantern is placed. The outside of the drum and lantern are decorated with double Corinthian pillars. Each pier has a large niche at its base, which is filled with a colossal statue of a saint representing each of the basilica's four major relics.
NW pier - St Helena, Constantine's mother, holding a large cross (representing the relic of the True Cross found by the saint in Jerusalem).
NE pier - St Longinus, the Roman soldier who thrust a spear in the side of Christ at the crucifixion, converted, and was later martyred (the relic is the spear).
SE pier - St Andrew, with his trademark diagonal cross upon which he was martyred (the relic is Andrew's head, which was returned to the Greek Orthodox Church in 1964).
SW pier - St Veronica, with the veil Christ used to wipe his face on the way to Calvary, leaving his image imprinted on it (representing the relic of Veronica's veil).
There is a viewing platform at the base of the lantern from where you can enjoy an unparalleled panorama over Rome. You have the option of taking the elevator or the 323 stairs. At the foot of the dome you can walk onto the roof terrace, from where you get a close-up view of the dome. The galleries inside give you a birds-eye view of the interior of the church. From here a long, narrow and spiralling staircase brings you to the top of the dome. The staircase is situated between the inner and outer shells of the dome, so the walls are somewhat slanted. The rather uneasy climb but you are rewarded with one of the best views over the city. St. Peter's spectacular dome can be visited for a fee, 8AM-5:45 (4:45, October-March). Entrance is from the right side of the Basilica's porch.
The façade is 116 meters wide and 53meters high with 5.7 meters tall 13 statues of from left are the Thaddeus, Matthew, Philip, Thomas, James the Elder, John the Baptist, Christ the Redeemer (in the centre), Andrew, John the Evangelist, James the Younger, Bartholomew, Simon and Matthias. St. Peter's statue in this set is inside. On either side are huge clocks supported by angels and decorated with ornaments and the papal crest. Below the clock on the left you can see the church bells. The central balcony is called Loggia of the Blessings and is used for the announcement of the new pope and his blessings. The relief under the balcony represents Christ giving the keys to St. Peter. Five entrances lead to the lobby area of the church, where you find an equestrian statue of Charles the Great on the left and another equestrian statue of Emperor Constantine, created by Bernini. The central bronze door was created in the fifteenth century. The northern most door is Holy Door which is only opened once every twenty-five years for great celebrations such as Jubilee years. Pope John Paul II opened the holy door in the jubilee years of 1983-84 and 2000-01. The Door of Death is the far left door into the basilica. Its name derives from its traditional use as the exit for funeral processions as well as its subject matter. The basilica in side is covered with a coffered barrel vault ceiling and a dome .It covers 15,160 square meters and can hold 60,000 people. The dome vaulting by sixteen ribs that supported by four columns. The opulence of the interior bears testimony to the wealth of the Catholic Church in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. It is decorated with large monuments created by greatest artists of all time. The enormous, twenty-six meter high bronze baldacchino over the papal altar. The Baroque masterpiece is crafted from bronze that was taken from the ceiling of the Pantheon. The spiral columns derive their shapes from the columns of the baldacchino in the original St. Peter's Basilica built by Constantine, which legend has it came from Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. The canopy that covers the shrine of Saint Peters and the holy relics. Artistically, it also serves to fill the vertical space under Michelangelo's great dome. The confession (burial crypt) that marks the presumed grave of St. Peter. It is encircled by a balustrade with ninety-five bronze oil lamps. The Confessio is located right below the majestic dome. It is sunken chapel of Saint Peter. The Confessio is better seen from the crypt (or Grottoes) below, where there is a glass wall looking into it.
The most famous monument in the St. Peter's Basilica is the Pietà, a marble sculpture of a young Virgin Mary holding the dead body of her son Jesus in her lap after the crucifixion. It was created in 1499-1500 by Michelangelo at the early age of twenty-five. The monument is located in the first chapel on the right. It is the only work of Michelangelo that bears his signature. He etched his name on the ribbon that runs across Mary's chest, allegedly after he heard that people attributed his work to another artist. The sculpture was heavily damaged in 1972 when a deranged visitor hit it with a hammer; it is now protected by a bulletproof glass screen. Most of the paintings in the church are replicas of the original paintings created for the basilica, many of which are now on display in the Vatican Pinacoteca. The high humidity in the church ruined the oil paintings which started to suffer from mold damage. The floor of the basilica has a colourful marble pattern. Look for the red porphyry disc near the central door.
The building is very impressive as it has 211.5 meters long nave. The crowning piece of the St. Peter's Basilica is the majestic dome which was designed by Michelangelo .The dome s 132.5 meters high and of 42 meters diameters. The great double dome is made of brick and rising 120 meters above floor. The dome is a parabolic in shape .The dome rests on four massive five-sided pillars. On top of the pillars rests a cylindrical drum - with sixteen large rectangular windows - that supports the ribbed vault. The ribs come together at the oculus on which an enormous lantern is placed. The outside of the drum and lantern are decorated with double Corinthian pillars. Each pier has a large niche at its base, which is filled with a colossal statue of a saint representing each of the basilica's four major relics.
NW pier - St Helena, Constantine's mother, holding a large cross (representing the relic of the True Cross found by the saint in Jerusalem).
NE pier - St Longinus, the Roman soldier who thrust a spear in the side of Christ at the crucifixion, converted, and was later martyred (the relic is the spear).
SE pier - St Andrew, with his trademark diagonal cross upon which he was martyred (the relic is Andrew's head, which was returned to the Greek Orthodox Church in 1964).
SW pier - St Veronica, with the veil Christ used to wipe his face on the way to Calvary, leaving his image imprinted on it (representing the relic of Veronica's veil).
There is a viewing platform at the base of the lantern from where you can enjoy an unparalleled panorama over Rome. You have the option of taking the elevator or the 323 stairs. At the foot of the dome you can walk onto the roof terrace, from where you get a close-up view of the dome. The galleries inside give you a birds-eye view of the interior of the church. From here a long, narrow and spiralling staircase brings you to the top of the dome. The staircase is situated between the inner and outer shells of the dome, so the walls are somewhat slanted. The rather uneasy climb but you are rewarded with one of the best views over the city. St. Peter's spectacular dome can be visited for a fee, 8AM-5:45 (4:45, October-March). Entrance is from the right side of the Basilica's porch.
The façade is 116 meters wide and 53meters high with 5.7 meters tall 13 statues of from left are the Thaddeus, Matthew, Philip, Thomas, James the Elder, John the Baptist, Christ the Redeemer (in the centre), Andrew, John the Evangelist, James the Younger, Bartholomew, Simon and Matthias. St. Peter's statue in this set is inside. On either side are huge clocks supported by angels and decorated with ornaments and the papal crest. Below the clock on the left you can see the church bells. The central balcony is called Loggia of the Blessings and is used for the announcement of the new pope and his blessings. The relief under the balcony represents Christ giving the keys to St. Peter. Five entrances lead to the lobby area of the church, where you find an equestrian statue of Charles the Great on the left and another equestrian statue of Emperor Constantine, created by Bernini. The central bronze door was created in the fifteenth century. The northern most door is Holy Door which is only opened once every twenty-five years for great celebrations such as Jubilee years. Pope John Paul II opened the holy door in the jubilee years of 1983-84 and 2000-01. The Door of Death is the far left door into the basilica. Its name derives from its traditional use as the exit for funeral processions as well as its subject matter. The basilica in side is covered with a coffered barrel vault ceiling and a dome .It covers 15,160 square meters and can hold 60,000 people. The dome vaulting by sixteen ribs that supported by four columns. The opulence of the interior bears testimony to the wealth of the Catholic Church in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. It is decorated with large monuments created by greatest artists of all time. The enormous, twenty-six meter high bronze baldacchino over the papal altar. The Baroque masterpiece is crafted from bronze that was taken from the ceiling of the Pantheon. The spiral columns derive their shapes from the columns of the baldacchino in the original St. Peter's Basilica built by Constantine, which legend has it came from Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. The canopy that covers the shrine of Saint Peters and the holy relics. Artistically, it also serves to fill the vertical space under Michelangelo's great dome. The confession (burial crypt) that marks the presumed grave of St. Peter. It is encircled by a balustrade with ninety-five bronze oil lamps. The Confessio is located right below the majestic dome. It is sunken chapel of Saint Peter. The Confessio is better seen from the crypt (or Grottoes) below, where there is a glass wall looking into it.
The most famous monument in the St. Peter's Basilica is the Pietà, a marble sculpture of a young Virgin Mary holding the dead body of her son Jesus in her lap after the crucifixion. It was created in 1499-1500 by Michelangelo at the early age of twenty-five. The monument is located in the first chapel on the right. It is the only work of Michelangelo that bears his signature. He etched his name on the ribbon that runs across Mary's chest, allegedly after he heard that people attributed his work to another artist. The sculpture was heavily damaged in 1972 when a deranged visitor hit it with a hammer; it is now protected by a bulletproof glass screen. Most of the paintings in the church are replicas of the original paintings created for the basilica, many of which are now on display in the Vatican Pinacoteca. The high humidity in the church ruined the oil paintings which started to suffer from mold damage. The floor of the basilica has a colourful marble pattern. Look for the red porphyry disc near the central door.
002-ST PETERS SQUARE (PIAZZA SAN PIETRO) - It is an elliptical esplanade bordered by massive colonnades which symbolizes outstretched arms. The square was laid out by Bernini .The square is surrounded by two huge colonnades with 284 Dorc Columns in 4 rows. There are 140 statues of saint on the colonnade .Between the obelisk and each fountain is a circular stone that marks the focal point of an ellipse. Near the stairs to the basilica at the front of the square are colossal statues of Saint. Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome.
003-OBELISK- The Square is decorated by an Egyptian obelisk 25.31 meters high in the centre, dates back 13th BC that was transported to Rome in 37AD from Heliopolis, Egypt and reinstalled. Previously it stands at Nero’s circus some 275 yards away. The total height of obelisk from base to cross is 40 meters.
004-FOUNTAINS- Two Fountains are situated on either side of the obelisk. The one sitting on the right/north was placed in this location by Bernini and the left/south was made by Carlo Maderno.
005-SWISS GUARDS- The Swiss Guards were since 1506 with the Church when Pope Julius II invited Helvetian soldiers to join the small Vatican army. The Rome was sacked on 26th May 1527 and the Swiss Guard protected Pope Clement VII during his escape to Castle Saint Angelo. Only 42 guards were survived out of 189 guards.
006-SEEING THE POPE - On Sundat at noon, the pope usually (if he's in town) appears at the second window from the right of the Apostolic Palace, to pray the Angelus and bless the crowd in the Square. Benedict XVI has continued this tradition, no ticket required. Otherwise, you can attend the Wednesday General Audience held in St Peter's Square. In winter the audience is held in the Paul VI Hall accessed just to the left of the Square. Tickets are required for the Audience, but are easily obtained. When the Pope is at his summer residence (July and August), the General Audience is held in the Courtyard in the town of Castelgandolfo. He leads the prayer from his study window. Tickets are not required for this event, but at Castelgandolfo (16 miles out of Rome) space is very limited.
007-VATICAN POST OFFICE - This is a great place to send a post card home, or collect stamps. There are two Post Office locations in St. Peter's Square, along the Charlemagne Wing (left side) and just beyond the colonnades on the right side. Items must have Vatican postage and be mailed from the Vatican. There is also a Post Office in the Vatican Museum.
008-VATICANS COURTYARDS-There are now three courtyards in the area, the Courtyard of the “Pigna”, the Library Courtyard and the Courtyard of the “Belvedere”. The Courtyard of the “Pigna” is named after a colossal bronze pinecone, almost 4 meters high, which, in the classic age, stood near the Pantheon in Rome, known as the “Pigna quarter”, it was probably first moved to the atrium of the ancient St Peter’s Basilica during the Middle Ages and then moved here in 1608. Two bronze peacocks, copies of 2nd century A.D. originals in the Braccio Nuovo, flank the pinecone. In the middle of the wide-open space are two concentric spheres by sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro (1990).
009-VATICANS MUSEUMS-The Vatican Museums are the museums of the Vatican City and are located within the city's boundaries. They display works from the immense collection built up by the Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries including some of the most renowned classical sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. The Vatican Museums are rooted in the Renaissance, a period of renewed appreciation for classical civilization. It all started with Pope Julius II (1503-1513).Later popes, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, added their own galleries and museums, gradually making the Vatican Museums into one of the largest and most important displays of art in the world . Housed in the richly decorated galleries and apartments of the Vatican Palace, the Vatican Museums boast the largest collection of classical sculpture in the world, plus extensive artworks from the Etruscan, Egyptian and Early Christian, Renaissance and modern periods and the magnificent Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel with its ceiling decorated by Michelangelo and the Stanze della Segnatura decorated by Raphael are on the visitor route through the Vatican Museums. They were visited by 43, 10,000 people in the year 2007. The Vatican Museums are entered through a gate in the north wall of Vatican City and stretch a long distance south to St. Peter's Basilica. Every morning before the doors open, long lines form along the city wall. Once inside, escalators carry visitors up to the new entrance hall (2000), with efficient ticket desks. (The lines can be avoided by booking a guided tour or buying tickets in advance) .The north end contains the Pio-Clementino Museum, Egyptian Museum, Etruscan Museum and Vatican Picture Gallery; the south end is home to the Raphael Rooms, Borgia Apartments and Sistine Chapel. In between are long, narrow galleries designed by Bramante, with beautifully painted walls and ceiling. The gallery that leads to the Sistine Chapel is almost always crowded with visitors and tour groups, but the others can be quite empty and peaceful. On the last Sunday of each month, the Vatican Museum is open to the public for free. There are 54 galleries in total, with the Sistine Chapel, notably, being the very last gallery within the Museum – visitors need to proceed through the other 53 gallery, before earning their reward with access to the Sistine. At the Vatican Museums you choose from 4 different itineraries all ending with the Sistine Chapel. Because of the vastness of the museum it's wise to take a guided tour. Some notable galleries are -
i-EGYPTIAN MUSEUM (MUSEO GREGORIANO EGIZIANO)(IN 9 ROOMS) - Founded by Gregory XVI in 1839 and located at the northern end of the lower floor, the Egyptian Museum displays artefacts brought from Egypt primarily by Roman emperors. Notable among the collection are the statues from the Serapeum at Hadrian's villa in Tivoli, which he built after his journey to Egypt in 130-31; a sandstone head of Mentuhotep II (2010-1998 BC), which is the oldest portrait in the Vatican Museums; and a colossal statue of Queen Tuaa, mother of Ramses II, brought to Rome by Caligula. Also here are Egyptian sarcophagi, mummies, statues, vases, jewellery, and hieroglyphic inscriptions.(see details at mv.vatican.va)
ii-GREGORIAN ETRUSCAN MUSEUM(MUSEO GREGORIANO ETRUSCO)(IN 22 ROOMS) - Going back to the Simonetti Staircase, the visitor may either visit the Etruscan Museum, housed in the Palace of Innocent VIII (1484-1492) or move on to Raphael’s Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Founded in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI, the museum contains vases, bronzes and other archaeological findings from southern Etruria, a large collection of Hellenistic Italian vases and some Roman pieces (Antiquarium Romanorum). In Room II is the notable Regolini-Galassi tomb and Rooms IV-VIII, known as of the “Precious”, exhibit gold jewellery realized by Etruscan goldsmiths during the ten centuries of their civilization.
iii- GALLERY OF TAPESTRIES - Flemish tapestries, realized in Brussels by Pieter van Aelst’s School from drawings by Raphael’s pupils, during the pontificate of Clement VII (1523-1534), hang on the walls. In 1515, Raphael was commissioned by Pope Leo X to design a series of ten tapestries to hang around the lower tier of the walls. The tapestries depict events from the Life of St. Peter and the Life of St. Paul, the founders of the Christian Church in Rome, as described in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. Work began in mid-1515. Due to their large size, manufacture of the hangings was carried out in Brussels and took four years under the hands of the weavers in the shop of Pieter van Aelst. Raphael's tapestries were looted during the Sack of Rome in 1527 and were either burnt for their precious metal content or were scattered around Europe. In the late 20th century, a set was reassembled from several further sets had been made after the first set, and displayed again in the Sistine Chapel in 1983.
iv- PINACOTECA(IN 18 ROOMS) - The new Vatican Pinacoteca (Art Gallery) was inaugurated on 27 October 1932.The collection continued to grow over the years through donations and purchases until it reached the current nucleus of 460 paintings, distributed among the eighteen rooms on the basis of chronology and school, from the so-called Primitives (12th-13th century) to the 19th century. The collection contains some masterpieces of the greatest artists of the history of Italian painting, from Giotto to Beato Angelico, from Melozzo da Forlì to Perugino and to Raphael, from Leonardo to Tiziano, to Veronese, to Caravaggio and to Crespi.
v- PIO- CHRISTIAN MUSEUM -The Pio Christian Museum displays a collection begun by Pius XI (1846-78) two years after he founded the Commission for Christian Archaeology to oversee excavations in the Roman catacombs. The collection, which consists primarily of objects found in the catacombs, was housed in the Lateran Palace until 1963. The museum contains some of the finest Early Christian sarcophagi, mosaics and architectural fragments in Europe. Most of the sarcophagi date from the 4th century, while other artefacts range in date from the 2nd to 5th centuries. Noteworthy is the statue of the Good Shepherd, it represents a beardless young man wearing a sleeveless tunic and a bag. The statue was restored in the 18th c.
vi- RAPHAEL ROOMS (IN 4 ROOMS) –The four Stanze di Raffaello ("Raphael's rooms") are famous for their frescoes, painted by Raphael and his workshop. The Stanze, as they are invariably called, were originally intended as a suite of apartments for Pope Julius II. He commissioned Raphael, then a relatively young artist from Urbino and his studio in 1508 or 1509 to re-decorate the existing interiors of the rooms. It was possibly Julius' intent to outshine the apartments of his predecessor (and rival) Pope Alexander VI, as the Stanze are directly above Alexander's Borgia Apartment. They are on the third floor, overlooking the south side of the Belvedere Courtyard.Running from east to west, as a visitor would have entered the apartment, but not following the sequence in which the Stanze were frescoed, the rooms are the Sala di Costantino ("Hall of Constantine"), the Stanza di Eliodoro ("Room of Heliodorus"), the Stanza della Segnatura ("Room of the Signatura") and the Stanza dell'Incendio del Borgo ("The Room of the Fire in the Borgo").
vii-GALLERY OF MAPS- Here about 40 maps showing the Church’s territories thought the years are kept.
viii- PIO-CLEMENTINOMUSEUM (Classical Antiquities Museums ) - It is in the Classical style and has a wide arched roof with skylights. The colour scheme is blue-grey and white with a polychrome marble floor. The walls of each side of the gallery have a row of large niches in which stand marble statues. Between the niches are plinths supporting smaller portrait sculptures. Pope Clement XIV founded the Pio-Clementino museum in 1771, and originally it contained the Renaissance and antique art works. The museum and collection were enlarged by Clement's successor Pius VI. Today, the museum houses works of Greek and Roman sculpture.
ix- CHIARAMONTI MUSEUM (Classical Antiquities Museums ) -It was founded in early 19th century and holding a collection of Greek sculptures and Renaissance imitations.
x-NEW WING/BRACCIO NUOVO (Classical Antiquities Museums )-It is considered to be most beautiful of all museums.
i-EGYPTIAN MUSEUM (MUSEO GREGORIANO EGIZIANO)(IN 9 ROOMS) - Founded by Gregory XVI in 1839 and located at the northern end of the lower floor, the Egyptian Museum displays artefacts brought from Egypt primarily by Roman emperors. Notable among the collection are the statues from the Serapeum at Hadrian's villa in Tivoli, which he built after his journey to Egypt in 130-31; a sandstone head of Mentuhotep II (2010-1998 BC), which is the oldest portrait in the Vatican Museums; and a colossal statue of Queen Tuaa, mother of Ramses II, brought to Rome by Caligula. Also here are Egyptian sarcophagi, mummies, statues, vases, jewellery, and hieroglyphic inscriptions.(see details at mv.vatican.va)
ii-GREGORIAN ETRUSCAN MUSEUM(MUSEO GREGORIANO ETRUSCO)(IN 22 ROOMS) - Going back to the Simonetti Staircase, the visitor may either visit the Etruscan Museum, housed in the Palace of Innocent VIII (1484-1492) or move on to Raphael’s Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Founded in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI, the museum contains vases, bronzes and other archaeological findings from southern Etruria, a large collection of Hellenistic Italian vases and some Roman pieces (Antiquarium Romanorum). In Room II is the notable Regolini-Galassi tomb and Rooms IV-VIII, known as of the “Precious”, exhibit gold jewellery realized by Etruscan goldsmiths during the ten centuries of their civilization.
iii- GALLERY OF TAPESTRIES - Flemish tapestries, realized in Brussels by Pieter van Aelst’s School from drawings by Raphael’s pupils, during the pontificate of Clement VII (1523-1534), hang on the walls. In 1515, Raphael was commissioned by Pope Leo X to design a series of ten tapestries to hang around the lower tier of the walls. The tapestries depict events from the Life of St. Peter and the Life of St. Paul, the founders of the Christian Church in Rome, as described in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. Work began in mid-1515. Due to their large size, manufacture of the hangings was carried out in Brussels and took four years under the hands of the weavers in the shop of Pieter van Aelst. Raphael's tapestries were looted during the Sack of Rome in 1527 and were either burnt for their precious metal content or were scattered around Europe. In the late 20th century, a set was reassembled from several further sets had been made after the first set, and displayed again in the Sistine Chapel in 1983.
iv- PINACOTECA(IN 18 ROOMS) - The new Vatican Pinacoteca (Art Gallery) was inaugurated on 27 October 1932.The collection continued to grow over the years through donations and purchases until it reached the current nucleus of 460 paintings, distributed among the eighteen rooms on the basis of chronology and school, from the so-called Primitives (12th-13th century) to the 19th century. The collection contains some masterpieces of the greatest artists of the history of Italian painting, from Giotto to Beato Angelico, from Melozzo da Forlì to Perugino and to Raphael, from Leonardo to Tiziano, to Veronese, to Caravaggio and to Crespi.
v- PIO- CHRISTIAN MUSEUM -The Pio Christian Museum displays a collection begun by Pius XI (1846-78) two years after he founded the Commission for Christian Archaeology to oversee excavations in the Roman catacombs. The collection, which consists primarily of objects found in the catacombs, was housed in the Lateran Palace until 1963. The museum contains some of the finest Early Christian sarcophagi, mosaics and architectural fragments in Europe. Most of the sarcophagi date from the 4th century, while other artefacts range in date from the 2nd to 5th centuries. Noteworthy is the statue of the Good Shepherd, it represents a beardless young man wearing a sleeveless tunic and a bag. The statue was restored in the 18th c.
vi- RAPHAEL ROOMS (IN 4 ROOMS) –The four Stanze di Raffaello ("Raphael's rooms") are famous for their frescoes, painted by Raphael and his workshop. The Stanze, as they are invariably called, were originally intended as a suite of apartments for Pope Julius II. He commissioned Raphael, then a relatively young artist from Urbino and his studio in 1508 or 1509 to re-decorate the existing interiors of the rooms. It was possibly Julius' intent to outshine the apartments of his predecessor (and rival) Pope Alexander VI, as the Stanze are directly above Alexander's Borgia Apartment. They are on the third floor, overlooking the south side of the Belvedere Courtyard.Running from east to west, as a visitor would have entered the apartment, but not following the sequence in which the Stanze were frescoed, the rooms are the Sala di Costantino ("Hall of Constantine"), the Stanza di Eliodoro ("Room of Heliodorus"), the Stanza della Segnatura ("Room of the Signatura") and the Stanza dell'Incendio del Borgo ("The Room of the Fire in the Borgo").
vii-GALLERY OF MAPS- Here about 40 maps showing the Church’s territories thought the years are kept.
viii- PIO-CLEMENTINOMUSEUM (Classical Antiquities Museums ) - It is in the Classical style and has a wide arched roof with skylights. The colour scheme is blue-grey and white with a polychrome marble floor. The walls of each side of the gallery have a row of large niches in which stand marble statues. Between the niches are plinths supporting smaller portrait sculptures. Pope Clement XIV founded the Pio-Clementino museum in 1771, and originally it contained the Renaissance and antique art works. The museum and collection were enlarged by Clement's successor Pius VI. Today, the museum houses works of Greek and Roman sculpture.
ix- CHIARAMONTI MUSEUM (Classical Antiquities Museums ) -It was founded in early 19th century and holding a collection of Greek sculptures and Renaissance imitations.
x-NEW WING/BRACCIO NUOVO (Classical Antiquities Museums )-It is considered to be most beautiful of all museums.
010- SISTINE CHAPEL - The Sistine Chapel is a large and renowned chapel of the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. The Sistine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV, from whom it derives its name, in 1475. It was designed to be the pope's chapel and the site of papal elections. Today it is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new Pope is selected. The Sistine Chapel was consecrated and dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin on August 15, 1483. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescos that decorate the interior, and most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and “The Last Judgment” by Michelangelo. The Sistine Chapel outer look is of no great architectural interest. Its exterior is unadorned by architectural or decorative details, as is common in many of the Medieval and Renaissance churches of Italy. It is a barn-like simple rectangle; 40.93 meters x 13.41 meters wide same as the dimensions of the Temple of Solomon as given in the Old Testament. The chapel is 20.70 meters high and roofed with a flattened barrel vault.
There are six tall windows cut into the long sides of the wall and two windows on the short side of the wall. On the large pendentives Michelangelo painted twelve Biblical and Classical men and women who prophesied that God would send Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind and around the upper parts of the windows, the Ancestors of Christ. As of 2007 (March) the Vatican Museums were open at 10AM to the public and about 8:30AM for group tours that get first entrance. The real key is to find a tour service that will "guarantee" early entrance. The Vatican only takes so many reservations for group tours each day and sometimes "tour companies" don't know until the night before if they got the reservation.
Chapel Walls Frescos -In 1481 Sixtus IV called to Rome the Florentine painters Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli and the Perugian Pietro Perugino to decorate the walls with frescoes. The fresco project took only 11 months, from July 1481 to May 1482. The walls are decorated with frescoes by Renaissance masters and are divided into three horizontal levels. The wall frescoes are stunning in their artistic beauty and fascinating in their meaning. The fresco cycle consists of scenes from the Old Testament on the left wall that correspond with scenes from the New Testament on the right wall are .The Life of Moses and The Life of Christ. Pope Sixtus IV wished the entire cycle to illustrate the legitimacy of his papal authority, running from Moses, via Christ, to Peter. The portraits of the popes, beginning with Peter, above the biblical scenes further emphasized the ancestral line of the popes' God-given authority. In two of the wall frescoes - Perugino's "Christ Gives the Keys to Peter" and Botticelli's "The Punishment of Korah," the Arch of Constantine can be seen in the background. This also underlined papal authority, for Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor, was traditionally held to have bestowed on the pope secular authority over the western world. The inclusion of Constantine's triumphal arch thus alludes to Sixtus' view of himself as not only the successor of Peter, but the successor of the Roman Emperors. For important ceremonies, the lowest portions of the Sistine Chapel's side walls were covered with a series of tapestries depicting events from the Gospels and Acts. These were designed by Raphael and woven in 1515-19 at Brussels.
Chapel Seiling- In 1508 Pope Julius II della Rovere commissioned Michelangelo to repaint the ceiling. Michelangelo was called away from his work on the pope's own tomb and he was not happy about the change. He had always insisted that he was a sculptoror and was contemptuous of fresco painting. The result are glorious depictions of human bodies that could only be created by a sculptor and the project Michelangelo hated so much but it became his most well-known art work. Michelangelo was asked to paint the Twelve Apostles and a few ornaments on the ceiling of the chapel. But as he began work on the project, Michelangelo conceived grander designs and ended up painting more than 300 figures. He worked on the project between 1508 and October 31, 1512, in cramped conditions high on scaffolding and under continuous pressure from the pope to hurry up. The famous Sistine ceiling is divided into nine sections in which nine stories of Genesis - from the stages of Creation to the Drunkenness of Noah - are depicted. He painted a series of nine pictures showing God's Creation of the World, God's Relationship with Mankind, and Mankind's Fall from God's Grace. The scenes begin from the altar wall and proceed toward the entrance, Michelangelo painted them in reverse order since he started from the area near the entrance wall. The twisting ignudi or male nudes that decorate the corners of the ceiling were highly controversial at the time. The painted area is about 131 feet long by 43 feet wide. This means that Michelangelo painted well over 5,000 square feet of frescoes that some say would have taken any other artist a lifetime to finish.
Chapel Altar Wall-Michelangelo was in his 60s when he was called back to the chapel again against his wishes to paint The Last Judgment (1535-1541) on the altar wall. The work was constructed on a grand scale and spans the entire wall behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel. The Last Judgment is a depiction of the second coming of Christ and the Apocalypse. The souls of humanity rise and descend to their fates as judged by Christ and his saintly entourage. The work was commissioned by Pope Clement VII (1523-1534) shortly before his death, and Clement's successor, Pope Paul III Farnese (1534-1549), forced Michelangelo to complete it quickly. It was the largest fresco of the century and is still an unquestioned masterpiece. This powerful work centres on Christ the Judge, who compels the damned to hell with his left hand and lifts up the saved to heaven with his right. Surrounding Christ are the planets, the sun and saints. The Last Judgment was an object of a bitter dispute between Cardinal Carafa and Michelangelo. Because he depicted naked figures, the artist was accused of immorality and obscenity. The genitalia in the fresco were later covered by the artist Daniele da Volterra, whom history remembers by the derogatory nickname "Il Braghettone" ("the breeches-painter").
Papal Conclave - One of the functions of the Sistine Chapel is as a venue for the election of each successive pope in a conclave of the College of Cardinals. On the occasion of a conclave, a chimney is installed in the roof of the chapel, from which smoke arises as a signal. If white smoke appears, created by burning the ballots of the election, a new Pope has been elected. If a candidate receives less than a two-thirds vote, the cardinals send up black smoke—created by burning the ballots along with wet straw and chemical additives, it means that no successful election has yet occurred.
There are six tall windows cut into the long sides of the wall and two windows on the short side of the wall. On the large pendentives Michelangelo painted twelve Biblical and Classical men and women who prophesied that God would send Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind and around the upper parts of the windows, the Ancestors of Christ. As of 2007 (March) the Vatican Museums were open at 10AM to the public and about 8:30AM for group tours that get first entrance. The real key is to find a tour service that will "guarantee" early entrance. The Vatican only takes so many reservations for group tours each day and sometimes "tour companies" don't know until the night before if they got the reservation.
Chapel Walls Frescos -In 1481 Sixtus IV called to Rome the Florentine painters Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli and the Perugian Pietro Perugino to decorate the walls with frescoes. The fresco project took only 11 months, from July 1481 to May 1482. The walls are decorated with frescoes by Renaissance masters and are divided into three horizontal levels. The wall frescoes are stunning in their artistic beauty and fascinating in their meaning. The fresco cycle consists of scenes from the Old Testament on the left wall that correspond with scenes from the New Testament on the right wall are .The Life of Moses and The Life of Christ. Pope Sixtus IV wished the entire cycle to illustrate the legitimacy of his papal authority, running from Moses, via Christ, to Peter. The portraits of the popes, beginning with Peter, above the biblical scenes further emphasized the ancestral line of the popes' God-given authority. In two of the wall frescoes - Perugino's "Christ Gives the Keys to Peter" and Botticelli's "The Punishment of Korah," the Arch of Constantine can be seen in the background. This also underlined papal authority, for Constantine the Great, the first Christian Emperor, was traditionally held to have bestowed on the pope secular authority over the western world. The inclusion of Constantine's triumphal arch thus alludes to Sixtus' view of himself as not only the successor of Peter, but the successor of the Roman Emperors. For important ceremonies, the lowest portions of the Sistine Chapel's side walls were covered with a series of tapestries depicting events from the Gospels and Acts. These were designed by Raphael and woven in 1515-19 at Brussels.
Chapel Seiling- In 1508 Pope Julius II della Rovere commissioned Michelangelo to repaint the ceiling. Michelangelo was called away from his work on the pope's own tomb and he was not happy about the change. He had always insisted that he was a sculptoror and was contemptuous of fresco painting. The result are glorious depictions of human bodies that could only be created by a sculptor and the project Michelangelo hated so much but it became his most well-known art work. Michelangelo was asked to paint the Twelve Apostles and a few ornaments on the ceiling of the chapel. But as he began work on the project, Michelangelo conceived grander designs and ended up painting more than 300 figures. He worked on the project between 1508 and October 31, 1512, in cramped conditions high on scaffolding and under continuous pressure from the pope to hurry up. The famous Sistine ceiling is divided into nine sections in which nine stories of Genesis - from the stages of Creation to the Drunkenness of Noah - are depicted. He painted a series of nine pictures showing God's Creation of the World, God's Relationship with Mankind, and Mankind's Fall from God's Grace. The scenes begin from the altar wall and proceed toward the entrance, Michelangelo painted them in reverse order since he started from the area near the entrance wall. The twisting ignudi or male nudes that decorate the corners of the ceiling were highly controversial at the time. The painted area is about 131 feet long by 43 feet wide. This means that Michelangelo painted well over 5,000 square feet of frescoes that some say would have taken any other artist a lifetime to finish.
Chapel Altar Wall-Michelangelo was in his 60s when he was called back to the chapel again against his wishes to paint The Last Judgment (1535-1541) on the altar wall. The work was constructed on a grand scale and spans the entire wall behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel. The Last Judgment is a depiction of the second coming of Christ and the Apocalypse. The souls of humanity rise and descend to their fates as judged by Christ and his saintly entourage. The work was commissioned by Pope Clement VII (1523-1534) shortly before his death, and Clement's successor, Pope Paul III Farnese (1534-1549), forced Michelangelo to complete it quickly. It was the largest fresco of the century and is still an unquestioned masterpiece. This powerful work centres on Christ the Judge, who compels the damned to hell with his left hand and lifts up the saved to heaven with his right. Surrounding Christ are the planets, the sun and saints. The Last Judgment was an object of a bitter dispute between Cardinal Carafa and Michelangelo. Because he depicted naked figures, the artist was accused of immorality and obscenity. The genitalia in the fresco were later covered by the artist Daniele da Volterra, whom history remembers by the derogatory nickname "Il Braghettone" ("the breeches-painter").
Papal Conclave - One of the functions of the Sistine Chapel is as a venue for the election of each successive pope in a conclave of the College of Cardinals. On the occasion of a conclave, a chimney is installed in the roof of the chapel, from which smoke arises as a signal. If white smoke appears, created by burning the ballots of the election, a new Pope has been elected. If a candidate receives less than a two-thirds vote, the cardinals send up black smoke—created by burning the ballots along with wet straw and chemical additives, it means that no successful election has yet occurred.