The Sistine Chapel is one of the key sites of your visit to the Vatican City.

It is located inside the Vatican Museum’s complexes , so in order to visit it it is necessary to buy tickets and do almost the complete tour around the museums, as the Sistine Chapel stands at the  at the end of the walk.

Access is not possible from St Peter’s Basilica, and there is no way of visiting the Chapel without a tour to the Museums.

Pope Julius II was the pontiff who ordered Michelangelo to carry out the pictoric decoration of the Chapel. This Pope wanted the maximum glory for the Vatican and for himself.

What to see

The Chapel is not particularly big. In fact the ceiling is 40 meters long and 13 meters wide.

The iconography represented is very varied, showing for example images of the  Book of Genesis (with the world-famous picture of God touching Adam’s finger ).

You can also observe portraits of prophets, sibyls and scenes from the history of Israel.

In total there are more than 300 figures, many of which show two-dimension effects, taking advantage of the room’s architecture making up an artistically skilled work without precedents.

The works took 4 years to be completed.

Tips for your visit

– Some people feel disappointed due to the size of the room and its scarce illumination, which is kept as such to avoid the deterioration of the pictures.

– The enormous interest these frescos arise and the large amount of visitors they attract are a constant worry, to the point that it has been suggested that the Chapel should be closed to the public. We do not know if this is a medium-term option. Just in case, try to visit the chapel as soon as possible.

– During peak hours, many visitors are irritated when guards do not allow them to stop and they cannot enjoy the works of art as much as they would want to.
It is a real problem that occurs during very busy days, and we assume this is the best idea the organisers have come up with in order to guarantee everyone’s safety.
In any case, this does not always happen. On quieter days or hours there is no visit time limit.

– There is a direct access connecting the Sistine Chapel with St Peter’s Basilica, but this is only available if you are doing a guided tour.
If you visit the Museum on your own you cannot exit through that access, unless you want to slip through…

– If you have special interest in visiting the Sistine Chapel double check the times and dates it is open. There may be days when its doors are closed for some special reason, even when the rest of the museum is open.

Related links

Vatican museums private guided tour
Tips for visiting the Vatican Museums
Places to see in the Vatican

The Vatican Museums  are home to one of the most important collections of art and antiques and include the celebrated  Sistine Chapel, a masterpiece of humanity that you should see at least once in your life.

We talk about museums, plural, because what we visit today is the result of successive additions and extensions  encouraged by the Popes during the past five centuries, unified as a set of art collections from ancient Egypt to the twentieth century.

We can divide the collections and museums visits within 3 basic elements: museums, visit rooms and chapels. There is a bit of all of them in the visit, but it is interesting to keep in mind these three options.

MUSEUMS

We have numerous museum spaces at our disposal, each with its own theme that we will detail as follows:

Pinacoteca Vaticana

18 rooms and more than 400 works, stored in a palace dating from the twentieth century.
The first rooms are dedicated to Italian painting from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries, with artists such as Giotto and Fra Angelico.
The most popular paintings are inrooms VIII and IX, with Rafael and Leonardo da Vinci respectively. Do not miss Rafael’s  Madonna of Foligno .
Room XII houses works by Caravaggio, including El Descendimiento.

Collection of contemporary religious art

An alternative to the dominance of classic art. 800 works in 55 rooms opened in the 70s.
This is certainly not a place to miss. You will find works by Bacon, Chagall, Dali, Paul Gauguin, Kandinsky, Matisse and Van Gogh, among others.

Museo Pio-Clementino

12 delightful rooms dedicated to Greek and Roman sculptures. Among the most well-known ones we find Apollo Belvedere,  Apoxyomenos and Afrodita Cnidia.

Gregorian Egyptian Museum

Inspired by Gregory XVI in 1839 with works which were mostly from Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli. It houses  Egyptian, Assyrian and Mesopotanian works.

Other museums

These museums are of less interest to the average tourist. We talk about the Etruscan Museum, the Ethnological Museum (gifts to the Pope), the Pious Christian Museum and the Philatelic and Numismatic Museum …

ROOMS

During our visit we can visit some of the most artistically important Vatican halls. These rooms have been given various uses throughout history and today the public is allowed to admire their decoration, including frescoes by classic artists.

There are 3 rooms we recommend not to miss:  Raphael Rooms (4 beautiful rooms decorated with frescoes by Raphael and his acolytes), the Loggia of Raphael (a 65-metre long space full of frescoes by Raphael) and the Immaculate Room ( Podesti, XIX century, dedicated to the dogma of the Immaculate).

Of special interest is the Gallery of Maps, the world’s leading cartographic collection.

CHAPELS

Chapels were spaces for religious use. The Sistine Chapel has light on its own:

The Sistine Chapel

Wonderful artistic and spiritual space, the main attraction of your visit to the Vatican Museums. The number of visitors is large and the time to see it is scarce.
The iconography, which has acquired universal value, offers works such as the  Creation of Adam and the Last Judgement, absolute peaks in the work of Michelangelo.

It is also a place that breathes history as it has been the home of the conclave that elect the Pope for centuries and from where the fumata reveals the outcome.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

Giuseppe Momo’s Spiral Staircase

It is located at the exit of the Vatican Museums and offers a very prominent and photographed optical effect . The structure appears to be much longer than it really is, forming a trompe l’oeil. To consider: the staircase that can be visited belongs to the architect Momo. The original one was created by Bramante, which was the inspiration for Momo’s work; but it is not open to the public.

Outdoors

The Vatican Museums have pleasant outdoor areas to get some fresh air.
Our favourite one is Cortile della Pigna  for its sculpture of a giant bronze pine cone from the first century, formerly located in the Pantheon. In the centre, we find the huge metal sphere representing Earth, a work by Pomodoro, 1990.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Admission is free on the last Sunday of each month during the World Tourism Day (September 27th) for children under 6 years, disabled people with an accredited disability higher than 74% and other groups (teachers, journalists …).

See our tips for visiting the Vatican Museums and the skip the line guided tour.

St Peter’s Basilica is the centre of the Christian World, the world’s largest church and an architectural work designed by top Italian artists of an era. It was built on the Vatican Hill, across the River Tiber in a symbolic location: it was the place where the apostle St. Peter, considered the first head of the Church, died as a martyr and was buried.

HISTORY

The first construction held on site was the initiative of Emperor Constantine  in the fourth century. That first basilica was a smaller version of the current one, which over the centuries suffered vicissitudes almost to end up in ruins and abandoned.

It was Pope Nicholas V,  in the middle of the fifteenth century, who ordered the restoration and expansion of the Basilica to the architect Bernardo Rossellino. But his death caused the works to stop.

The revolution came half a century later with Julius II  who asked Bramante to create a new conception of the Basilica. Finally, a structure with Greek floor and a huge dome was made.

Later architects left their mark, highlighting the dome designed by Michelangelo and completed by Giacomo della Porta. Carlo Maderno extended the building with a Latin cross design and completed the façade we see today. The church was consecrated again in 1626 by Pope Urban VIII, just 1300 years after the consecration of the primitive temple.

View from St Peter’s Square

You will be enchanted one you arrive to the square and are able to see the magnificent Basilica, although many think it is not perfect. Expanding Maderno partly hid the dome of St. Peter.

The façade, 45 meters high and designed by Maderno, altered the conception of Michaelangelo and involved the expansion of the structure and the inclusion of embedded columns.  It is crowned by huge statues of Christ, John the Baptist and the Apostles. The clock and bells are outstanding elements of the façade.

INDOORS

Once you walk in there is a lot to see. The first thing you notice is the grandeur of the space, of more than 15,000 m2 and able to hold 60,000 people.

The interior space is divided into three naves  separated by large pillars (the central nave, the nave of the Epistle and the Gospel nave) and four major elements: Ambulatory, Dome, Presbytery and the Papal Altar.

You can choose to climb the dome or walk inside and visit some of the most interesting points:

Central Nave

The Central Nave is very wide with a surface of 10.000 m2 with very interesting mosaics and marble from the former basilica.

In the arches of the nave there are sculptures that represent the virtues: In the pillars on the left, starting with the door, ecclesiastical authority, divine justice, virginity, obedience, humility, patience, justice and fortitude. On the right, starting from the altar, charity, faith, innocence, peace, forgiveness, perseverance, mercy and strength.

In the pillars we see the sculptures of the 39 founding saints.

Nave of the Epistle

It is the nave located on the right.

It is fundamental to visit the first chapel that houses the impressive Pieta by Michelangelo, a masterpiece of his youth. It is protected by a transparent box because of damage sustained in attacks in the past.

As we go forward through the nave we find a chapel with burial monuments, including the tomb of John Paul II   after a marble slab with the inscription “BEATVS IOANNES Pavlvs PP. II

You should also look for the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and its door, designed by Francesco Borromini. In this chapel we find the Blessed Sacrament.

The Gospel Nave

It is the nave to the left. It has numerous chapels, rich in artistic elements and tombs of Popes and other prominent figures of the Church.

We especially recommend stopping in the Choir Chapel, led by the Altar of the Immaculate Conception.

Ambulatory

The Ambulatory is the Circular space around the four pillars supporting the dome

In the pillar that corresponds to the ship of the epistle we find the tomb of John XXIII.

Dome

The basilica dome rises to a total height of 136,57 m from the ground to the top of the outer cross. It is the highest dome in the world. Its internal diameter is 41,47 m, slightly less than two of the three huge domes that preceded it: the Pantheon, 43.3 m; and the Cathedral of Florence, 44 m.

It is very interesting to see the dome from above: we have a section on going up to the dome of St. Peter.

Presbytery

In this area admiring the Chair of St. Peter, an impressive Bernini reliquary containing an early Christian chair resting on sculptures of the four Fathers of the Church. Governing all a window with a dove  symbolizing the Holy Spirit.

Papal Altar

It is on the transept, under the dome and highlights the monumental canopy of San Pedro de Bernini, an impressive Baroque work.

It is made of bronze from the Roman Pantheon and has a height of 30 m, raised by four twisted columns.

In the centre, by the shade of the canopy, surrounded by the huge space under the dome is the papal altar, a cuboid block of white marble, and over it a bronze crucifix and a set of seven candlesticks in which only the pope can celebrate the Eucharist on solemn occasions.

It was placed vertically over the tomb of St. Peter.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE

– Admission is free. Inside, there are optional paid tours such as the dome or the treasure.

– The Basilica opens daily from 7-19 hours (April to September) and from 7-18 (October to March).

– There is usually a line of people to get in but it runs faster than in the Vatican Museums. If you hire a guided tour to the Vatican Museums you can access the Basilica by a special entry without queueing. So if you hire a tour of this type go first to the Museums and leave the Basilica for later.

Go early to avoid queueing. Queues start at about 10.

– The dress code is very strict: no bare shoulders, shorts or short skirts. There are sellers around offering economical clothes in case of emergency.

–  Security is high. There are internal control accesses and surveillance. Any disrespectful behaviour causes reprimands.

– Once you pass the security check before going up the steps that allow access to the Basilica there is a visitor centre with cloakroom  for suitcases,  public toilets  and rental of audio guides.

Related links

Visits to the dome of St. Peter’s
Gardens of Vatican City
Vatican necropolis

Castel Gandolfo is a small municipality of the metropolitan area of Rome and it belongs to the circuit known as “Borghi più belli d’Italia,” the most beautiful villages in Italy, so much so that it has always been the Popes’ holiday destination. Proof of this are the various Papal or Pontifical Palaces.

The best way to reach Castel Gandolfo is by train as it is the quickest option and avoids the traffic, which in Rome is truly chaotic. The train station in Rome is called Termini (it has connections to the airport) and from here the Regional takes us to Castel Gandolfo in just 41 minutes, with trains running once every 60 minutes.

History of the villa

Since imperial times the village has enjoyed not only spectacular views but also a mild Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters due to its dominant position that starts on the Colli Albano hills and drops to the Agro Romano valley and Lake Albano. It soon became the seasonal refuge of the emperors, starting with Domiciano if not his predecessors. There they built their villas which later, in the Middle Ages, became part of the inalienable assets of the Holy See. However, it wasn’t until Pope Urban VIII arrived in 1628 that Castel Gandolfo began to be used as a papal residence.

Most interesting monuments

The Holy See’s influence here is apparent in the number of religious buildings, up to six, including churches and collegiate, in an area of little more than 14 square kilometres, as well as in the civil buildings which mainly include the multiple papal residences.

The Collegiata di San Tommaso da Villanova
The main place of worship in the city of Castel Gandolfo, a complex that consists of a Parish Church, Rectory and the Church of Madonna of the Lake at Albano Lake. Pope Alessandro VII Chigi commissioned Bernini to build a church to be used as a palace chapel beside the Papal Palace. He followed the typical outline of a Greek cross where everything is harmonious and canonical according to the dictates of the Renaissance, however for the interior he chose a more Baroque look which he gave great dynamism with a transept covered by a great dome with a lantern on a decorated drum.

Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo
Built at the request of Pope Urban VIII following a design by Carlo Maderno on the remains of the old structure of the Castrum Gandulphorum, a feudal castle belonging to the Gandolfi and Savelli family. However, it took on its current appearance in 1660 due to the intervention of Pope Alessandro VII.

Pontifical Villas
The Pontifical Villas consist of three different parts:

The Gardens of the Moor, which are located at the back of the Apostolic Palace and are the oldest part of the residence as they already existed as part of Cardinal Visconti’s old villa.

Villa Cybo, which was built by Cardinal Camillo Cybo and joined the complex when Pope Clement XIV bought it from the Dukes of Modena in 1774.

Villa Barberini, which was built by Pope Urban VIII’s nephew and houses the Castilian See of the seasonal College of Propaganda Fide. The Italian-style gardens surrounding it are especially beautiful.

From Rome: Castelgandolfo & Pontifical Villas

Spend the day to see the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo.

A good gastronomic destination

If you spend a few hours in Castel Gandolfo you’ll probably be there at lunch or dinner time. As a tourist spot, this little city has a good gastronomic offer which can be eaten while enjoying the pretty views of Lake Albano. We definitely recommend that you go for a restaurant with views, of which there are many all the way along the coastline. There are also charming places on the medieval alleys of CastelGandolfo, you’ll be spoiled for choice and we particularly like it there. Here are our favourites in each of the areas:

La Gardenia (Viale Bruno Buozzi 4). Specialists in fish and with a marvellous outside terrace with views of the lake. If the weather isn’t good or there are no free tables outside, the indoor dining room also enjoys good views through the windows. Top quality products and a creative presentation.

Arte e Vino (Corso della Repubblica, 49), a family-managed place that is a restaurant, a delicatessen shop and a wine cellar. Fresh local ingredients.

During your visit to the Vatican, you really must see the permanent exhibition dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci right on Via della Conciliazione, the avenue that leads to St Peter’s Square.

In this exhibition you will be able to see the best reproductions of 46 of the maestro’s machines and 22 of his paintings, with names as well-known as The Mona Lisa, Lady with an Ermine, Ecce Homo or the two versions of the Virgin of the Rocks. The work displayed has been made to scale employing original materials.

This is a recommended visit for people which children due to its educational nature. Touching the objects is permitted. While touring the exhibition, the visitor will become immersed in an enveloping route of sensations, multimedia experiences of artistic and mechanical genius, with thematic projections, holograms and audios.

Altogether the exhibition is spread across 5 themed halls: 1) Hall of flying machines and The Last Supper; 2) Hall of war machines; 3) Hall of prospective; 4) Hall of principals; 5) Hall of paintings.

In essence, an ideal plan for fans of art, perfect for children and with the possibility of purchasing mementos from the gift shop.

Vatican City: Leonardo Da Vinci Exhibition Tickets

Tickets for St. Peter’s Dome

Once you pass the security control and access the Basilica, you will finally see its architecture and magnificent works of art. From all the things you can do, we recommend one: climb up to the dome in St Peter’s, the work of the genius, Michelangelo.

Short historical outline

The dome is the symbol of the Church of Rome and the “beacon” that draws thousands of pilgrims and visitors to the heart of Christianity.
It was created by Michelangelo starting in 1546, during the papacy of Paul III, but it was interrupted upon Michelangelo’s death, at the height of the work.

15 years later, with Sixtus V, Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana were ordered to continue with the work for which they were given a lot of resources. As a result, after only 22 months, the work was finished, an event which was celebrated with a solemn mass and fireworks. In the following years, the facing and the lead lining were completed, and the golden bronze sphere, culminating in a cross, was placed.

What you will find – How to climb up St Peter’s Basilica’s dome

Once you enter the Basilica, walk forward a little and then look right: you will see the sign “Cupola”. Follow the sign until you reach the ticket office, together with a lift which goes up to the dome.

You have 2 options:

1. Climb all the way by foot (551 steps)
2. Take the lift and then climb the rest on foot (320 steps)

The decision is yours. Many consider that the small difference in price is worth it to avoid the initial exhausting section. In addition, there is not much to see.

If you take the lift, you will reach an interior balcony which is actually the base of the dome. Here you can stop calmly and look at the great dome, the beautiful mosaics or the beautiful perspectives of the inside of the Basilica from above.

From here, you can start to climb the spiral staircase which leads up to the upper area, or go down a few steps to a terrace where you will find bathrooms, water fountain, a souvenir shop and a café. From the terrace, you can see the Piazza and the upper statues.

If you climb the spiral staircase, hold your breath and prepare for a climb through a narrow space only livened up by some small windows which provide views of the outside.
The climb takes around 10 minutes.

Once at the top, the icing on the cake: the spectacular 360º views of St Peter’s Square, the Vatican Gardens and the city of Rome.

There is another staircase for the way back down. The experience can be done in an hour.

Practical information

Times

From October 1st to March 31st – from 8:00 to 17:00
From April 1st to September 30th – from 8:00 to 18:00

Price

Tickets for St. Peter’s Dome

More tours & tickets – The dome of St. Peter’s

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The Best Vatican Tours & Tickets

The Vatican is the most popular attraction in Rome, hosting millions of visitors each year. Booking a small-group guided tour or skip-the-line access in advance is highly recommended.

Related links

Vatican museums guide
The tomb of John Paul II

The Vatican Gardens  are an oasis in the middle of crowds of visitors who frequent places like the Basilica and the Vatican Museums. The green space within the Vatican walls seduces nature lovers in particular and it is recommended for those who want to dig deeply into the Vatican history.

Origin

Legends aside, the gardens date from the medieval times, . We need to go back to 1279, when Pope Nicolas III decided to wall off the area building inner walls, leaving a space occupied by vineyards and meadows which he decided to turn into his very own garden.

In the XVI century , an important refurbishing and landscaping project by Pope Julius II, inspired by the early Renaissance Bramante’s hand, was performed.

What to see

The Vatican Gardens are a natural, architectural and artistic space  of great beauty and spirituality, in an area of 32 hectares, which occupies most of the Vatican Hill.

You will see a complex landscape full of forests, medieval monuments, sculptures, floral extensions …
The visit is  always guided,  the entrance without a guide is not authorised.  The tour is led by an official accredited guide and is delivered in the chosen language, including Spanish, using headphones. It lasts 2 hours  and it is not suitable for people on wheelchairs.

You will visit the most picturesque areas: Giardino Quadrato,Casina Pio IV, Trevi dell’Aquilone, Grotta di Lourdes, the monument to the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II, the Vatican Radio building … and will enjoy views of the Basilica itself that you have never seen.

The tour ends in the Vatican Museums themselves.

Vatican Gardens Tours

The Visit

The tour can be booked at visiteguidatesingoli.musei@scv.va. It has a cost from 35 euros.

From our website, you can have access to many organized tours which include a visit to the Gardens.

Tips

– This is a tour that requires a minimum level of fitness. The tour lasts two hours and the terrain is quite uneven.

– The best time of year to see the gardens is during spring  in a cool sunny day.

– This tour gives you an excellent opportunity to find out about the actual daily life of the Vatican State  as you see administration, maintenance and security staff … during their daily routine. Not forgetting the family of cats living there.

– This will be greatly enjoyed by botany lovers. There are Mediterranean pines, cedars of Lebanon and an olive tree, a gift from the State of Israel.

– Is it really worth it? We think so. Mainly because of two reasons: the ticket includes access to the Vatican Museums and to the Sistine Chapel and the view from St Peter’s Dome is fantastic.

Curiosities of the Vatican Gardens

The gardens of the Vatican are a place filled with stories and curiosities. The paths, the fountains, the grottos, the sculptures… have been witnesses to the history and the faith of its inhabitants.

The first was Pope Nicholas III, the official creator of the gardens in 1279 who planted a vegetable garden, the first grass lawns and a garden. Little remains today of that first project, not in vain the gardens have grown over the centuries to reach 23 hectares, forming what we know officially as “The Gardens of the Vatican City.”

The styles
Three styles of landscaping coexist in the Gardens: English, French and Italian. They spread along the western Edge of the Vatican hill and also house a heliport, a train station and a radio station.

Place of reflection
They’re conceived as the Pope’s place of meditation, so public access is very limited. Over the centuries, the Popes have adapted the complex to their tastes. For example, at the end of the 16^th century, the gardens where turned into an open-air museum with magnificent sculptures and fountains, many of them deeply symbolic.

For example, the beautiful Torre San Giovanni (St. John’s Tower), which dominates the gardens due to its height, is an emblematic spot which is even used for the Pope’s meetings with important politicians.

A garden dedicated to Mary
Across the museums there are up to 14 images of the Virgin Mary which have been brought here from different places across the world.

Visiting the Vatican City allows the visitor to discover not only this marvellous Pontifical city but also other neighbouring districts of Rome. Prati is one of them. Stately, elegant and with a certain hint of expansive Barcelonese or Parisian style. A Rome where chaos is put aside and the chicest of fashionable establishments are dotted along the streets.

Prati has a very intriguing past. It could be named as one of the youngest areas of central Rome, as construction didn’t begin there until 1883. Up to then, as the name suggests, the area housed fields. In fact, in centurion times this area housed the vine and cane plantations belonging to Dominizia, Emperor Domiziano’s wife. As was the case with many cities in the rest of Europe, Rome underwent an expansion process and Prati was the place chosen for this expansion. If visitors carefully study the urban layout they will see that it is very different to that of the rest of the city. Here, the avenues are wide and the streets all have broad pavements and chamfered corners on Liberty-style buildings with plenty of shopfronts.

What to see in Prati

Next to the Castel San’tAngelo there is a building that catches everyone’s attention. Grandiose, imposing and extravagantly adorned, it is the Palazzo di Giustizia, home to the Court of cassation. It was one of the most grandiose constructions following Rome’s proclamation as capital city of the Italian kingdom at the beginning of the 20th century. The colossal building occupies almost two blocks or isole of the Prati district. The main façade is overlooks the Tiber river and the back faces Piazza Cavour, another of the area’s places of interest. In its central garden, designed by Nicodemo Severini in 1895, there is a statue of Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, an important politician in the complicated times of pre-Unification in Italy who held the post of president of the council of ministers in 1852.

Life is calm on this square, it’s an ideal place to take a seat on a bench and simply watch the world go by. Around it, we find the Waldesian Evangelical Church, the Adriano movie theatre and other less important buildings that lend a provincial air to this pretty square.

What to do in Prati

There are a number of streets branching out from Piazza Cavour that lead directly to the heart of this district on which the vertiginous pace of Roman life is put aside. Taking Vía Cicerone and walking for 7 minutes we reach Via Cola di Rienzo, one of the most commercial streets in Rome where, however, there are few tourists and a pleasant morning’s shopping is guaranteed. The street houses a few members of large chains but is also home to traditional local Prati businesses such as bookshops, linen shops or tobacconists where the scent of menthol tobacco will take you back to another time.

One of the best ice-cream parlours in Rome is at the end of this street closest to the Tiber. La Romana (Via Cola Di Rienzo, 2) is a paradise full of sweet treats and anyone with a sweet tooth really must pay a visit.

Where to eat

Prati has plenty of trattorias and elegant restaurants serving varied gastronomy. Along its streets there are very fashionable places where, for example, the best sushi can be found to make a change from the usual type of meal. If, however, what you want is traditional Italian cuisine then you must definitely visit the Osteria Centouno (Via Fabio Massimo, 101) or il Palazzacio (Via Ennio Quirino Visconti, 66). If, meanwhile, you would like to enjoy the best aperitifs in the city in sophisticated surroundings with chandeliers and spacious lounges, the Antico caffe Ruschena (Lungotevere dei Mellini, 1) is ideal. Italian movie directors such as Fellini, Mastroiani and Sordi have all sat its tables.

Amongst the many reasons to visit the St. Peter’s Basilica, one shines with its own light: the Pieta, an impressive sculpture by Michelangelo. This sculpture is considered to be one of the most important works of the Italian Renaissance which served to confirm a young sculptor aged just 21, recently arrived in Rome, as a master of his time of world fame and launch him on an artistic career which left us some of the greatest jewels of art.

In this article we will proceed to describe the most important aspects of this Vatican masterpiece.

Where it is

The sculpture can be freely viewed within the Basilica, in the first chapel on the right after entering, between the Holy Door and the Altar of Saint Sebastian. It is tucked behind a transparent protective panel to protect it from vandals.

What it represents

The Pieta represents Jesus deceased after being taken down from the cross and his body rests in the lap of his sorrowful mother, before he was placed in his tomb. The dramatic quality of the scene almost disappears thanks to the sweetness, serenity and humanity of its representation.

The Virgin Mary has a very youthful appearance, which some criticised when it was sculpted claiming it was an unreal depiction of the mother of a 33-year-old man. The sculptor defended this claiming that her virginity meant she remained youthful and pure for longer.

She also has larger proportions than her son, so that if both were placed standing up, the Virgin would be much taller than Christ. The whole has a pyramidal form, with the face of the Lady at the pinnacle and the stone of Golgotha they rest on at the base.

Things to bear in mind when observing it

-The image of Christ lacks the most dramatic signs of the Passion. This is because Michelangelo did not wish to represent death, rather he wished to focus on serenity and the loss of the deceased son.

-The work was the product of a commission by Bishop Jean of Billheres to a young sculptor from Florence to adorn his mausoleum.

-One of the most noteworthy elements of the sculpture is the work carved in stone to represent the mantles and cloth which cover the Virgin. The skill in sculpting the marble is such, that these elements cease to be stony and appear to be natural silk.

-It is the only one of Michelangelo’s sculptures which he signed. The doubts which some expressed over the authority of the sculpture caused a young and proud Michelangelo to add a band on the chest of the Virgin with his name inscribed in Latin. The author later regretted this and never signed any of his sculptures again.

-The images appear idealised, perfect and almost divine, in contrast with the dramatic quality of the scene. The author wished to apply to his work the platonic ideals of divinity and he also stressed this in the image of Christ, with whose body the Virgin does not enter into contact directly, rather through cloths.

-Michelangelo said that the block of Carrara marble he used was the best he worked with in his entire career. And that may be the reason why his Pieta is the finest, most polished of his sculptures.

Curiosities

-The sculpture has been damaged on two occasions during its history: once while being transported in the XVIII century, and again by an act of vandalism in the 1970s, when a mentally unbalanced individual attacked the sculpture with a hammer, damaging mainly the Virgin’s face and hands.

-The sculpture was moved to New York for the universal fair of 1964-1965 and was the main attraction for visitors to the Vatican Pavilion.

The nights of the Vatican are unique. From May until the end of July and from September until the end of October, every Friday from 7pm to 11pm it is possible to visit the Vatican in the evening. A perfect alternative cultural plan for hot Friday nights in the Eternal City. This initiative has been running in Rome for a number of years. It was born as a consequence of the impossibility of the Romans to appreciate the art of their own city, as the six million tourists who visit it each year made it difficult to visit the most emblematic places.

Even if you’re not a local you can still go as there is no need to show documents to prove you are from Rome. All you have to do is buy a ticket on the internet from the official website. Discover the nights of the Vatican! Have a unique experience and feel how the magic of every corner envelops you during an unforgettable evening.

The nights at the Vatican

The Roman night is a real blanket of stars over the city and the yellow lights of the lampposts beautify it, enhancing places which during the sunlight hours go unnoticed. In the Vatican Museums you can literally take a walk through history along its 7 kilometres of halls, galleries and picture galleries of incalculable value.

The places open during these special visits are, along with the marvellous Sistine Chapel, the Gregorian Egyptian Museum, where you will find sphinxes from Giza, hieroglyphics and even a bust of Cleopatra and the Raphael Rooms which are on the second floor of the Apostolic Palace and are all decorated with frescoes by the Renaissance painter. It is also possible to visit some of the most important galleries of the Vatican Museums such as the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Gallery of Tapestries and that of the Maps. Also, some of the halls of the Apartments of the Borgias (I, III, IV, XIII, XXVIII) are open, where some of the first representations of the indigenous natives painted after Christopher Columbus returned from the Americas can been seen on their frescoes.

During the Vatican nights, not only do the Vatican Museums open their doors, there are also jazz and choral music concerts at the ‘Cortile della Pigna’, a precious patio with views of the gardens of the papal residence, and in the Gregorian Profane Museum. The Musica dei Musei (music of the museum), as these evenings have been called, have the marvellous collaboration of the Accademia de Santa Cecilia and Il Comitato Nazionale della Musica, institutions with great musical tradition in Italy and more particularly in Rome.

Through the variety of dates and events proposed, the Vatican Museums seek to open their arms to the public and all the artistic and cultural currents of the world. Proof of this are the performances of Argentinean Tango, the Choir of Mosco or of other more conventional styles such as Jazz and band music.