Bonjourno family, friends and everybody in-between.
Today’s adventure took us to the Vatican City to delve into the rich Roman Catholic collection of Renaissance art and also immerse ourselves in the history of popes past and present.
The day began with a much needed sleep in, followed by another croissant for breakfast. Once again we were packed into a metro train like sardines and headed off.
After leaving the train station and a short walk through some typical Italian streets, we caught our first glimpse of the large medieval-like, cobblestone walls that surrounded the ancient Vatican City. After a quick bag search we met our guide and headed inside. We made our way through the hordes of people and out into the Vatican gardens, from there we could see the dome of Saint Peters basilica in the distance.
We then proceeded into the first of many stunning, architectural buildings painted from floor to ceiling with renowned artworks by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and other famous painters. To walk into a new room and see every inch of the walls and ceilings covered in artworks took your breath away, the amount of time put into some of these masterpieces was inspiring. We also viewed many famous marble sculptures of past popes and pagan Gods, including Constantine, Hercules, Augustus and many more. The detail and the history behind these sculptures was invigorating.
By far the most impressive of all was the Sistine Chapel. It took Michelangelo 4 years to paint the ceiling with some of the most famous artworks of all time, like ‘The Creation of Adam’. Later on Michelangelo painted the artwork called ‘The Last Judgment’ which took him another 4 years. In this building no talking was allowed let alone photography, so this was a very special opportunity for us and anyone who visits this iconic building.
We then made our way out and to one of the greatest architectural buildings of its age, designed by Michelangelo, the huge Saint Peters Basilica. Once we entered this building we all forgot all about our sore legs and aching feet, this building was by far the best of the day, no amount of words or photos would compare to actually standing inside this building. Being the largest Church in the world it holds some of the most breathtaking architecture, mosaics, huge sculptures and high ceilings. This building holds a lot of Roman Catholic history. Beneath the church are the tombs of many significant icons including its namesake Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles and a number of past popes.
After an amazing experience at the Vatican City we left our guide and passed through Saint Peters Square, and then took a leisurely walk back to our motel stopping for a gelato and a look at some markets.
Ciao!
Blake
