Vatican Tour - June 15, 2010

Vatican Bound - We are now old hands at taking the train into Rome Termini and today, we're going in for a five-hour Through Eternity tour of the Vatican Museums and Saint Peter's Basilica. Last week's Rome guide, Jason, made sure that we would find our way to the meeting spot via the metro. His help gave us much confidence! Jason has warned us that our tour will take us to a very expensive lunch spot - so we thought we'd be smart and buy some sandwiches at the Termini grocery store.

Through Eternity - The tour meeting spot is located a few blocks from the Vatican at the church in Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie. When everyone shows up, we are a very small group of about 8. Our guide is Brandon, a Canadian who is a PhD student from Oxford studying art history and Latin.  What a treat to have such an expert as a guide, and especially one who speaks very clear English! On our walk to the Vatican (about 5 blocks), the mist experienced earlier in the day descends into a good rain. It's a bummer, but Bob and I are well protected with our packable raincoats. Plus, we are wearing the required "modest dress" (covered knees and shoulders) in the Vatican. (Through Eternity has an excellent description of the entire tour.)
A Country of Its Own - Vatican City is a tiny, independent country of about 100 acres in the middle of Rome. It is the religious capital of 1.1 million Roman Catholics around the world. Because we paid for a tour, we walk past all the people waiting in line for entry. Brandon collects additional money for entry fee and headsets. The headsets are fabulous because Brandon doesn't have to shout and we can clearly hear him all the better (something we worried about) for his explanations, stories, and when to move on.

Pinoteca - First, we head to the Pinoteca (picture) art gallery as there are fewer people at this time. Brandon points out the imitation Pieta and tells us the differences between this one and the real one we'll see in St. Peter's Basilica. As we walk past ancient sculptures, he translates the Latin inscriptions. There is much beautiful art on display and Brandon makes it all come alive. Once we get to the tapestries, he moves us on past them as he says they are "boring" and there are better ways to spend our time. We feel like we're moving through at a pretty good pace - and we're on the long tour. I can't imagine doing the short tour.

Cheap Lunch - For the lunch break, Brandon takes us to the Vatican cafeteria where they offer choices of pizza, sandwiches, and a hot buffet line with lots of tables scattered around. Maybe other tours take you to expensive restaurants, but we find that the cafeteria prices are less expensive than cart food we've seen elsewhere: $3/pizza slice, $2.50/sandwich. It's another thumbs up for Through Eternity - nevertheless, we eat our cheap, dry supermarket sandwiches instead. Who knows? The cafeteria might be as bad.

Pine Cone Courtyard - After about 40 minutes, we reconvene and head outside - where it is now bright and sunny - for background about the Raphael Rooms, the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, the crypt of Popes, and St. Peter's Basilica. In the large grassy courtyard there is the large shiny metal "Sphere within a Sphere" created in 1990 by Italian Sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro in the Cortile Della Pigna - (courtyard of the pine cone).  The pine cone in question is a four-metre high bronze statue, from around the first century AD, which originally resided in the Pantheon. It was in the old St Peter's before being moved to a raised plinth here by Julius II. Set before a huge, scooped arch in the walls of the Vatican (designed by Bramante), it dominates the courtyard.

Competitive Artists - Our next stop is an open air rotunda of statutes tucked in niches followed by an indoor rotunda with mosaic tiled floors, religious murals, and precious carved stone antiquities. Back outside we walk down the courtyard to enter the Raphael Rooms - and are awestruck by the proliferation of brilliantly colored frescoes. They overwhelm the senses with color and imagery. Each square foot is a masterpiece in itself and it is impossible to capture in photos. Apparently, Raphael was a competitive guy as he did his best to outdo Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, which depicts the Renaissance and story of creation.

Pristine Sistine - We are warned by the room guardians to be quiet so that everyone can enjoy the peace and sacredness as the Sistine is the Pope's personal chapel and where all new popes are selected. Indeed, guards warn people to be quiet and take no photos (although we sneak in a quick couple - especially of the "Last Judgment" and altar - in order to compare/contrast Raphael and Michelangelo's works when our memory fades) as they are not allowed by the Japanese company that paid for the restoration of the "Last Judgment" behind the altar. The room is packed with people. Even so, we are in the right place at the right time as someone else vacates two seats on a bench. We wish we had brought binoculars as recommended by Rick Steves, but the view is still awe-inspiring. It took Michelangelo four years to complete the work begun when he was 33.

St. Peter's Basilica - Before he said goodbye and released us to explore the Basilica on our own, Brandon give us the highlights. (We give him a $20 tip - I think we're the only ones - because he really did a great job on the tour.) We find ourselves in the church of all churches and it is hard to describe the grandeur and size other than it is mammoth and occupies six acres. Naturally, it is the most magnificent of them all, and can accommodate 60,000 standing worshippers. There are incredible sculptures and art by Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini - much of it is done in mosaic. The dome echoes the heavens and the aisle ways are lines with columns and arches that are adorned with layers of gilt and plaster or marble angels and statuary. Every inch is filled with incredible art. Understated would not be a descriptor. Perhaps tasteful flamboyance might work.

There is so much to take in and one wants to remember every detail from the "kissable toe" of St. Peter to Bernini's seven-story tall bronze canopy and starburst dove window behind it. Michelangelo's original Pieta is on display and it glows with an inner light not seen in the fake Pieta in the Pinoteca. Hard to believe he was such a genius at only age 24. We completely forgot about climbing up in the dome, which is taller than a football field is long. We go through the crypt where all former popes are buried. There are many people in this reverent and quiet space praying - especially at the crypt of the beloved "Great" Pope John Paul II.

Arrivederci Roma - It seems as if we have absorbed as much as our senses can take but the leaving is hard. It would be wonderful to return sometime and renew our memories. For one last time, we end the day with our traditional gelato at Old Bridge Gelateria, only a couple blocks outside the walls of the Vatican. Perfect end to a sumptuous day. We hop the train for the last time from Rome Termini to the Orte Station and back home.