Day 4, Rome [Vatican Museum & Janiculum Hill] – September 21, 2017

We departed at 8:00 am for our tram ride to the Vatican Museum complex and 10:00 am entry time.  The crowds were enormous.  We were extremely fortunate to have a guide who would take us at the appointed time through the entrance to skip the lines, get our tickets, and send us in the right direction.  The Vatican Museum had its origin in 1503 when Julius II displayed a few works of classical art.  Over the intervening centuries, the complex has grown to a huge complex of buildings to house the enormous holdings of the Vatican.  The current modern building we entered was added in 1970  to house the Antique and Christian art collections.  Our first visit was the Pinacoteca to see the multitude of famous paintings in this picture gallery.  Here is a sampling of what we saw:

Lippi – Coronation of the Virgin

 

Vivarini – St. Abbot between saints Sebastian, Christopher, Venantius, Roche; Pieta between Saints Jerome, Peter, Paul, and Augustine (1464)

 

 Tapestry of Last Supper

Forli – fresco pieces of music making angles and apostles

Raphael (1520) – Transfiguration

Raphael – Coronation of the Virgin

Caravaggio – The Deposition

Peter – Adam and Eve in the Garden

After the Pinacoteca, we moved across the elevated patio, with good views of the Vatican garden, 

to the Belvedere Octagonal Court with its sculptures:

Laocoon

Apollo

Arno

Then we proceeded inside to the Room of the Muses (with the Belvedere Torso), 

Room of the Animals, Statue Gallery, and the Round room with its huge monolithic porphyry basin. 

 In the Greek Cross Room, we saw the two large porphyry sarcogphagi of St. Helen [early 4^th century] and Constanza [late 4^th century] (saw the copy in St. Constantia Mausoleum).  Proceeding forward we went to the Biga Room with its two horse chariot, through the Tapestry Room, then through the narrow Map Room with its gorgeous ceiling.

 From there into the Room of the Immaculate Conception 

 and then into the Raphael Room.

 Continuing on toward the Sistine Chapel we passed through the Hall of Constantine and the Borgia Apartment before arriving at the Chapel.  The ceiling tells the story from the Creation to the Flood, which was painted first by Michelangelo.  The Last Judgement, which is painted on the front wall above the altar, was painted by Michelangelo 20 years later; beginning in 1535 CE.  It was conceived by Clement VII as a warning to the unfaithful.

Last Judgment

 The chapel floor is in the Cosmati style.  After marveling at these gorgeous frescos, we exited by the back-right door, which leads to St. Peter’s.

St. Peter’s is enormous with its many side chapels, the Pieta, the Bernini bronze canopy (bronze from the Pantheon), and the crypt.  We spent about 30 minutes viewing select portions of the basilica before exiting and getting something to eat for our very late lunch.

 After lunch, we caught a bus to take us to the Janiculum Hill with superb panoramic views of Room and many of the landmarks we have visited to this point. 

 

This was another beautiful day with clear blue skies, which was perfect for seeing Rome before our feet.  Another bus took to the Tastevere area of Rome where we caught the #3 tram for a return ride to the convent.  Happy Hour was at 6:00 pm followed by dinner.