FFotos by Francos: Rome: Vatican City, June 21, 2016

Text and images (c) Robert Barry Francos / FFotos by Francos, 2016
Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them

After a couple of days to recover from our two-day adventures in Florence and Venice, we headed off to Rome via bullet train from Bologna. It made a stop first in Florence, but the leg between there and Rome was above ground, so we could see the beautiful countryside. Seems like every town had a church and a torre of varying sizes. It took just over 2 hours to get to Rome in total.

Being a much bigger city an any we had been to in Italy before, we didn't have much time between landing and getting to where the tour started, and a cab might have taken too long, considering traffic. We decided to take the chance and jump on the subway. It got us there in plenty of time, and was pretty inexpensive. It was, however, very crowded, even with service every 10 minutes.

Once off the train it took some asking to find where we were going, but we got there in enough time to get a very expensive breakfast ("tourists!!"), as we didn't have time to get one at our hotel (which were amazingly good, but I digress...)

The guided tour part was of Vatican City, including the Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Basilica, the catacombs where the Popes were laid to rest, and the Sistine Chapel, plus additional tickets (but no tour) to the Colosseum complex. We were thinking of doing some other things after, as well, such as the Tivoli Fountain, but we decided to see how it goes, and if we had time/energy.

Of course, the amount of art at Vatican City is overwhelming. I took well over 500 pictures, but just put the ones here I found I wanted to share:

The entrance to the walled city/state/country; this time I was smart enough not to take my backpack

Cortile della Pigna (Pine Cone Courtyard)

Our great guide, who brought a book to help explain things. Very enthusiastic.

The symbol (keys and crown) of anything owned by the Pope

Entering the Vatican Museums: a long staircase,

Window views

The Pope's symbol, from the rear

I'm not sure which is the real statue and which is the copy, this one or in Florence

A room full of animal-related objects; the bust of the person who gathered them is in the window,
but facing out rather than towards his collection

Supposedly the inspiration of Michaengelo's David

3D angel on the left

Impressive how the artist molded to make it look like sheer cloth'
our guide said it was his favorite piece, and I can understand why

Great natural light

Complex mosaic floors

This room had a lot of frescos that reminded me of comic artist Frank Frazetta

The room of maps from Renaissance days that is extremely accurate

Supposedly the first radio station, built by Marconi

Reflection of St. Peter's Basilica in the window

As with anywhere else, there's construction at the Vatican

More mosaic

No photography allowed. Some sneaked, I respected.

This courtyard leads to both St. Peter's Square and on the right is the outside wall of St. Paul's Basilica.

The outside wall of the Basilica, including a fresh water fountain (below)

St. Peter's Square

The stairs to the Baslilica

This door is only open during the Jubilee; to walk through it means
you are washed clean of your sins, if you are willing to forgive all others; we did it.

Where the Pope gives Mass to the masses

Still works, we were told

By the Basilica entrance (pic by MIL)

Inside St. Peter's Basilica. What I found amazing about many of the statues is how dynamic they are, rather than stoic and merely standing:

The last time I saw Michaengelo's Pieta was at the
Vatican Exhibit in the 1965 New York World's Fair (I was 10)

Prayers at the resting place of Pope John Paul II (also below)

Interesting choice for a religious door motif

Outside in Peter's Square again, where tour ends. We walked through the Square, out the exit, and along the wall of the Vatican City to go pick up our tickets to the Colosseum Complex.