We had four wonderful days to take in the sights of Rome.
Claudia was our guide for some of the main sights of this vast city.
It made all the difference to have someone so knowledgable, interesting, and fun!
We spent our first afternoon visiting Vatican City, known as the world's smallest state.
There are 11 Vatican museums including the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican gardens.
We wound our way through the highlights with Claudia's expert guidance.
The Gallery of Maps
We were all amazed that this ceiling pictured below was in fact flat instead of
three dimensional as it appears.
The boys kept quizzing Claudia, thinking she may have been mistaken.
The skill of great artists and craftsmen - just beautiful.
In the Tapestry Gallery hangs a beautiful piece inspired by Raphael's paintings entitled,
"The Tapestry of the Resurrection of Christ."
Ten other tapestries designed by Raphael hang in the Sistine Chapel.
There is said to have been a fierce rivalry between Raphael and his contemporary Michelangelo who was at the same time busy painting the ceiling of the Chapel. Raphael wanted the depth of color and the details of scenes to be richer and more beautiful than ever before accomplished so as to not be overshadowed by the ceiling above. The completed tapestries were hung on December 26, 1519.
Raphael died just four months later in April of 1520.
We headed in the Vatican gardens to see the newest sculpture,
Sfer con Sfera, or The Sphere within a sphere.
This same sculpture can be found in numerous places throughout the world including
the United Nations in New York.
Claudia made the mistake of demonstrating for the boys that the sculpture rotates.
They asked if they could try...I don't think she was expecting the merry-go-round version.
However, there are now pictures all over the world of the three of them turning
the sculpture. It soon drew quite the crowd and big smiles all around.
From the garden we headed for the Sistine Chapel to see what is undoubtedly the most famous artwork in the Vatican Museums - the works of Michelangelo.
He chose to depict nine scenes from the Old Testament, the centerpiece being,
Creation of Adam.
Michelangelo's many nude paintings in the chapel were shocking to many
patrons of the day. After his death, another painter was hired to make the
paintings more modest by adding flowing scarves and robes strategically placed.
However, during recent years of restoration, as often as possible, these additions
have been removed so as to reflect the original art
One cardinal in particular was quite vocal in his disapproval of the art.
Michelangelo responded through his art, painting the cardinal's face on a devil in hades.
Perhaps that is where the reputation of temperamental artists came from??
After exiting the chapel, we got a great view of the Swiss Guard who guard the Vatican.
Why the Swiss we asked? For centuries, they were the only ones considered neutral enough to be trusted and the tradition has remained. We secretly thought they looked Italian.
St. Peter's Basilica is the largest in the world.
That fact is clearly evident upon entering this massive church.
It covers almost 6 acres and can hold 60,000 people.
We were immediately drawn to another work by Michelangelo.
Pieta, depicts Mary holding her Son's body following the crucifixion.
Pieta is said to be the only work that Michelangelo ever signed.
At the time, Michelangelo had recently arrived in Rome from Florence.
People saw this beautiful sculpture and did not know to credit it as the work of the
young Michelangelo who was merely twenty four years old.
In a fit of anger and pride, he signed his name on Mary's garment.
It is said that he was so ashamed of his behavior that he never signed another work again.
Underneath the main dome, also designed by Michelangelo,
stands the baldacchino which covers the papal altar.
It is constructed of 927 tons of bronze sculpted by the artist Bernini.
As we left the basilica, preparations were underway for the crowd the Pope would address
the following morning. It is Grandparent's day in Italy and the Pope is scheduled
to hold a mass in their honor.
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