Day 11 • Monday, May 16, 2005 • Vatican City |
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You might think that with a day that didn't require travel (our first one since the tour began) we would get to sleep in, but in order to see the Vatican, we had to get up around the crack of dawn. We got a ride to the commuter train lot, where we got on a train packed with commuters heading to work on a Monday morning. After taking a series of trains and running up hundreds of stairs we made it to the Vatican entrance (1). Even though Hans told us there wouldn't be much of a line at Vatican as long as we got there by 8am the line wrapped around the outer wall. |
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A few of our tour mates ran ahead to get us a good spot in line. Then the rest of our 48-person group trickled in. Naturally the field trip group behind us was not happy and their leader raised hell. She had a hissy fit and insisted we all move to the back of the line, which by now was 500 people longer. |
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She threatened to call the police but Hans finally arrived with our tour guide, and they both essentially told the woman to shove it. Our tour guide handed all of us these nifty headsets so that we could all hear her without her having to shout everything (not allowed in any churches). After waiting quite a while, we finally made our way to the entrance (2), went through security, and were granted admission into the Vatican. |
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Our first stop was in the Vatican Courtyard (3), where we were taught about some of the artwork that surrounded us. Although it was interesting, I didn't remember much, maybe because I didn't reconize any of it from the three art history classes I took in high school and college. |
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We went through some very ornate hallways and emerged in another smaller courtyard, which had a sculpture that I remembered studying: Laocoon and His Sons (4), from the Hellenistic period of Greek art. Although this was exciting, I couldn't wait to see the Sistine Chapel for myself. |
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The museums at the Vatican are extensive, confusing, and a little overwhelming. My eyes never got a break. There were portrait busts along the walkways, enormous tapestries hanging on the walls, mosaics built into the floors, and beautiful paintings covering the ceilings (5), (7). Every once in a while there was a window, so we could peak out and see the courtyard (6). Not many windows in the Vatican look out onto Rome and the world beyond, it seems; they only face in towards the Vatican. |
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We approached the Sistine Chapel, and I had already overdosed on anonymous artwork. Finally we were going to see something REALLY FAMOUS that I had spent a lot of time studying. We had to turn our headsets and cameras off when we went into the chapel. Drat, I really wanted to get some pictures inside, but since it was pretty dark inside, they probably wouldn't have turned out right anyway. If you really want to see what Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgement look like, check out Google's results. |
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Next we went into St. Peter's Basilica where we saw another Michelangelo masterpiece: The Pietà (8). It was pretty cool, but behind glass, and kind of far away. The Pietà is very emotional and draws the viewer in. Being behind bullet-proof glass takes away from that. The Vatican is right to protect the Pietà as it has been attacked and damaged in the past. One man charged the statue declaring "I am Jesus Christ!" and took a hammer to the statue, breaking off Mary's left arm, and gouging her left eyelid, neck, and veil (some experts have since repaired her). |
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