The Vatican Museums

[khiemtran]

So, an unexpected day in Rome and my new flight's not due until the afternoon. What to do? Well, I was well and truly sick of queueing after battling Rome Fiumicino all day, and I had kind of had my fill of Roman ruins, so I decided to hit the Vatican Museums instead.

For, um, more queueing...



If you happen find yourself in Rome with more notice than I did, and you have internet access, which I didn't, the smart thing to do is to buy tickets online here.

If you do, the queue will only look like this...



In a last! This is the famous Cortile della Pigna, Courtyard of the Pinecone, with the pinecone visible on the left. Just beyond that you can see the café where I stopped for a capuccino to rebuild my strength.


This is called Sphere Within Sphere, apparently.


A lion in the courtyard.


I found myself next in the Octagonal Courtyard, full of classical statues. Apparently, this is most famous for the Belvedere Apollo, held as the classical epitome of beauty. I had my eye on other things.


I'm fairly sure this is Athena, although I was sadly underprepared for this visit. So much for my one year of classical studies at school...

This, on the other hand, is... um. Well, I'm not sure of the consequences if I say who I think it is and get it wrong, so let's just say that it definitely a very august and beautiful personage, whoever it is...


This one is actually the River Tigris, reclining on top of a sarcophagus.


And I'm fairly sure this is Dionysus.


I don't know what this is, but I was amazed by the masks at the base.


All those people queueing outside had to go somewhere.


Luckily there was plenty to look at.


En route to the Sistine Chapel. I couldn't help wondering if when I got finally got there, it would turn out to be no different from all the masterpieces we had walked under to get there.



But, as it turned out... No.

No photos were allowed, but let me paint you a picture. You walk into a large, slightly darkened room, filled with people milling with their necks craned. Every thirty seconds or so, one of three things happens: a camera flashes; a man booms "NOOO PHOTOOOS!!!"; or, for variety, the same man bellows "SHHHHHHH!", and the everpresent murmuring dips a little.

You look up and there's the ceiling, and it's... well, it's disappointing. I knew all about the famous Creation of Adam and somehow I expected that it would span the whole ceiling. Instead it's only a tiny part and so distant that it might just be a picture on a distant wall. Every other inch of the ceiling is covered with different paintings.

So, you walk around a bit, looking at this and that, trying to avoid bumping into people. And, then, slowly...

Slowly, as you look at the detail, the figures on the ceiling start to come to life. First, the mechanical stuff. There are trompe l'oeil effects a plenty and the ceiling is the High Renaissance equivalent of a super-widescreen 3D TV. Prophets seem to lean down from the edges of the ceiling; angels seem to burst out as though flying over you; picture after picture seems to explode into three dimensions.

Then, as you look deeper into the artwork, you realise that there's a tiny masterpiece just about everywhere your eye falls. Stare at any point long enough and there's something amazing there. And next to it, bursting out of the ceiling and into your field of view, there's something else amazing. And something next to that...

You float in the slow stream of observers and suddenly you're nearly at the exit. You reach the steps, but you realise suddenly, joyously, that you don't need to leave. You can stay a little longer. You have goosebumps crawling up your skin as you move your gaze slowly from corner to corner. You reach the steps two more times, before at last you decide to leave.

So, that was my Sistine Chapel anyway. Thank heavens for Italian transport strikes, or I might never have seen it.


Coming back down out of the museum, and I'm still on a high.


The crowds are still there, but I'm hungry and my pack is heavy and I still have to find my way back to the airport.

And off I go...

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing your impressions.

I think such a crowded places would severely test my tolerance for such things, but if I ever get the chance to visit, it looks like it's worth the stress and hassle.

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

Well, it was worth it for me. I probably would have got more out of it with a bit more research beforehand, but the moment was there to be grabbed.

[carl-allery.livejournal.com]

Lovely photos and great descriptions. I also have a dislike of big crowds and I'd never be able to tackle something like that with only a half day, you did well to snatch the opportunity. :)

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

A grumpy, pushy crowd will certainly test my patience, but I'm quite fond of a happy one. And this was certainly a happy crowd. As always, I came away wishing I'd struck up a few more conversations along the way.

[green-knight.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing! (I had fun yesterday because my flist contained back-to-back posts of Vesuvius.) Rome is on my list of 'if I ever get a cheap flight' places to go to.

I shall remember to book a ticket in advance...

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

Yes, the internet is a wonderful thing. The other thing was the whole time we were queueing there were spruikers walking up and down saying "Guided Tour! Skip the line!" and no-one was taking them up on it. I guess if I had less time, I might have tried a tour, but, as you know, I really just like to wander and take my own time.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I loved how you described your gradual enchantment with the Sistine Chapel ceiling--and then, the next photo was that lovely spiral staircase--somehow it fit just right.

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yes, that was how it felt.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Awesome photos of awesome architecture. I loved the ceilings. And that staircase!! Wow!!!!