Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel

Yesterday was a big day.  We had class in the morning and then took off at a brisk trot to make it to our appointment at the Vatican.  We walked full speed for 20 minutes. I was determined to not be a straggler and kept up with the instructor the whole way.  It was a faster pace than I've managed yet but proud to have accomplished it! 

I was glad to have a guide to work out the details.  Our tickets had already been purchased.  He knew right where to go upon entering.  We just had to keep our eyes on him and keep up!  That wasn't always so easy as there were literally hordes of people.  It's also an immense place and would be very easy to get lost or turned around in.

We started by studying Raphael's paintings and tapestries.  They are AMAZING!  I have always liked looking at Raphael's work but up close and in person takes it to a whole new level.  Then we studied some ancient scuplture from antiquity that the Renaissance and Barroque masters copied. It is really ironic to me that the Vatican is home to thousands of sculptures and artifacts that used to be idols in pagan temples. The vastness of the buildings and the sumptuousness of the decoration is amazing.  But, I found it all hard to enjoy because of the huge crush of people.  On the way to the Sistine Chapel we were shoulder to shoulder through the long corridors.  Then upon entering the chapel, we were free to stay as long as we wanted, but so exhausted from the ordeal of getting there and packed in like cattle that it was rather anticlimactic.  Our instructor had warned us and told us to just pick a spot and focus on one thing for awhile and tune everything else out.  We tried but it was very hard to do.  I have to say that I'm really glad we did it but I don't think I'd go there again.

Disputa by Raphael

At the Vatican

Corridor of the maps at the Vatican, on the way to Sistine Chapel

We arrived back in our apartment around 5:30 and rested before going out for pizza and doing homework. Whew!

Today again we had lecture in the morning and then hoofed it to the Capitoline Museum.  We saw enormous sculptures of Constantine or rather dismembered pieces of them.  We also saw the bronze wolf which was said to have reared Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome.  Room upon room of sculpture portraits that were important to the ancient Romans in their ancestor worship we breezed by.  We focused on a couple of barroque period paintings -- one of which was at least 30 ft. high.  I have no idea how the artist, Guercino, managed to paint it.  It was beautiful and astounding all at once. I'll post a picture but it doesn't do it justice at all.

Burial and Resurrection of St. Petronella by Guercino

Collossal Constantine

The Dying Gaul 

Corinthian column with view of the Forum from Capitoline Museum

We arrived back at our apartment with sore feet around 3:30.  On the way we refreshed ourselves with a gelato. Today's choice was melone which just might be my new favorite. :) Although I love the lemon gelato and the caffe flavor is sublime. I haven't had the dark chocolate but our roommate did and raved about it so maybe soon. Arrivederci!