This maze of wall-to-wall immense structure is something that you have to see it with your own eyes. No camera does it justice. No write-ups suffice.
Yes, you can’t deny the religious overtones in the Vatican City. And why would you want to, when you’re visiting a place that is ruled by the Bishop of Rome himself. But then Vatican City isn't just another neighbourhood in the historic city of Rome either; it’s a city within a city, a micro-nation of sorts. This independent papal state Vatican or Holy See is only 0.44 km2 and is the world's smallest sovereign state. The walled enclave of the Vatican City is also home to the iconic dome of St Peter’s Basilica.
It is also essential to understand the difference between Vatican City and the Holy See, which is technically the seat of the Bishop of Rome — we know him as the Pope.
The history of the Vatican and the history of the Catholic Church are barely separable. The history of the Vatican as a sovereign city-state dates back to 1929, while the Vatican as the main seat of the Catholic Church goes back to the 14th century.
This maze of wall-to-wall immense structure is something that you have to see it with your own eyes to really get the look and feel. No camera does it justice. You must be there.
The Vatican museum is huge! There’s a sense of tranquility when you enter. The paintings and artifacts are truly a treasure — from ancient Greece to the Renaissance period. I spent about a couple of hours inside the museum before heading over to St Peter's Basilica. And yes, the skies opened up while I was queuing!
St Peter's is a major basilica in Vatican City, an enclave of Rome. Originally founded by Constantine in 324, St Peter’s Basilica was rebuilt in the 16th century by Renaissance masters including Bramante, Michelangelo and Bernini. It was, until recently, the largest church ever built and it remains one of the holiest sites in Christendom. It Basilica stands on the traditional site where Peter — the apostle who is considered the first pope — was crucified and buried. St Peter’s tomb is under the main altar and many other popes are buried in the basilica as well.
Save exclusive time for Michelangelo’s other masterpiece at St Peter’s: the dome, reached via a side door to the right of the Basilica, a creaky elevator ride, and a narrow, slippery 320-step climb up a winding staircase. The dome was finished as far as the drum, the base on which the dome sits. The great double dome is made of brick and is 42.3 metres in interior diameter (almost as large as the Pantheon), rising to 120 metres above the floor. In the early 18th century, cracks appeared in the dome, so four iron chains were installed between the two shells to bind it. The central balcony is called the Loggia of the Blessings, and is used for the announcement of the new pope with the “Habemus Papam”.
On the legendary Sistine Chapel is another unquestioned Michelangelo masterpiece. Signs request visitors to remain silent in the chapel, but gasping is a given as one comes across the allpowerful gesture. Before you get to the Sistine Chapel, you are bombarded with endless hallways of religious art, statues, and artifacts to last you a lifetime. It is today one of the most famous art galleries in the western world.
The Sistine Chapel is one of the most famous and ornate churches in all of Europe. The masterpiece of Renaissance art, known as the Cappella Sistina in Italian, is a part of the Apostolic Palace, the Pope's official residence in Vatican City. The Chapel is more than the sum of its artistic wonders, however. It is a symbolic statement of papal authority and the place in which papal elections in conclave are held to this day. The Sistine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV, from whom it derives its name, in 1475. It was designed to be — and still is — the Pope’s chapel and the site of papal elections.
Michelangelo’s famous Sistine ceiling depicts scenes from Genesis in dramatic and moving detail, while The Last Judgement on the end wall is striking and powerful. Because of Michelangelo's sculpting skills, the details of the bodies adorning the ceiling are phenomenal.
Michelangelo was called away from his work on the Pope’s behest. It is said he was initially reluctant since he had always insisted he was a sculptor and was contemptuous of fresco painting. But the result was a glorious depiction of human bodies, which could only be created by a sculptor, and the project Michelangelo hated so much ironically became his most well-known work.
Michelangelo was asked to paint the Twelve Apostles and a few ornaments on the ceiling of the chapel. But as he began work on the project, Michelangelo conceived grander designs and ended up painting more than 300 figures. Michelangelo was in his 60s when he was called back to the chapel, again against his wishes, to paint The Last Judgement on the altar wall. The work was commissioned by Pope Clement shortly before his death, and Clement's successor, Pope Paul III, forced Michelangelo to complete it quickly. It was the largest fresco of the century.
The grandest view of Bernini’s colonnaded St Peter's Square is usually in the afternoon, when sunlight plays hide-and-seek through the four rows of Doric columns. The area is bordered on two sides by semi-circular colonnades which, according to Bernini, symbolise the stretched arms of the church embracing the world. This is where you receive blessing from the Pope at close range, if you arrive in the square well before his noon appearance on Sundays.
As you recover from the sublime experience of being at the Vatican City all day long, you feel truly blessed walking alongside the Tiber River, under the inky indigo sky with a bottle of artisanal beer, or better so some Lazio wine for the rest of the evening.