Today we took a tour of St. Peter's cathedral, the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Square. (not in that order) : ) This was a very disappointing tour, but the Sistine Chapel was so emotionally overpowering for me that it all worked out! We were actually in line for the Vatican Museum when we discovered (via deseretnews.com on Dave's phone!) that President Monson was in town, presiding over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Rome Temple. Had we known where the temple site was, we definitely would have wandered over there. As it was, we had no idea except for a general direction, and Rome being the sprawling metropolis that it is, didn't want to ask a cab to wander with us. : )
So, after entering the Vatican (who had a staircase that looked like the exterior of the Guggenheim--go figure!), we saw some cool views of St. Peter's, the Court of the Pinecone (including a larger-than-life-size pinecone! Ha!), some amazing original sculptures--Perseus cutting off the head of Medusa, Laocoon and His Sons, a room built around a swan bathtub (for Nero's Palace, of course), tapestries from the 1600s--seriously? Can you believe they're still intact? Let alone hanging? That's some seriously fine craftsmanship!
After eternity (albeit an awe-inspiring one!) we finally descended the stairs to the Sistine Chapel. Words simply cannot express what it was like to be in that room. It's smaller than I had imagined, even though the benches are taken out and it's completely open. To be there, looking at The Creation, The Judgement; knowing that Michelangelo himself had been in that very room for hours on end, stretching his imagination and creativity to the breaking point, the ancient technology that had gotten him there, on the scaffolding . . . the concept, ideas, and philosophies behind why he painted what he did . . . it was truly incredible. We were there for a mere fifteen minutes, and I was brought to tears three different times. [Now, for future travelers: ditch your tour guide here. Stay as long as you want, they're not going to show you anything else of interest. (ie, what we should have done!) : ) Oh well, it was wonderful!]
Our tour ended in front of St. Peter's, and we went inside to wander around. I didn't realize that Michelangelo's Pieta was in the cathedral, so was taken aback when we turned right inside the entrance and there it was! Absolutely incredible in person. Beautiful and emotional in a picture, a hundred times that face to face!
St. Peter's was overwhelming again, and probably more to the size and sheer monstrosity of it. The tombs of the Popes, the shrines dedicated to them, the altar . . . the absolute volume of it all. Wow.
Oh! We did find out the mystery of the padlocks--seems that if you are truly in love, and want to prove it, you write your names (or something romantic if you wish) on a padlock (or don't write anything, apparently it doesn't matter!), attach it onto something at a romantic location (such as the Ponte Sant' Angelo (Bridge of Angels), or a statue, or the fence at Fiesole overlooking Florence), and throw the key into the river (or olive grove at Fiesole), thus proving you are "locked" together for eternity . . . or the padlocks get cut off by local authorities . . . or whatever. Google it if you want to see some serious dedication! : )
So after lunch outside St. Peter's, we found Castel San'Angelo. A medieval castle with replicas of the battle armor, swords and weaponry, state rooms, and incredible views of St. Peter's and the Tiber River. (For those Angels and Demons fans out there, yes, this is the secret lair for the Hassassin, and there is indeed a secret passageway to the Vatican from here. It isn't underground, however--it's on top of a wall! Not very sneaky, but I guess it served its purpose!
So, after entering the Vatican (who had a staircase that looked like the exterior of the Guggenheim--go figure!), we saw some cool views of St. Peter's, the Court of the Pinecone (including a larger-than-life-size pinecone! Ha!), some amazing original sculptures--Perseus cutting off the head of Medusa, Laocoon and His Sons, a room built around a swan bathtub (for Nero's Palace, of course), tapestries from the 1600s--seriously? Can you believe they're still intact? Let alone hanging? That's some seriously fine craftsmanship!
After eternity (albeit an awe-inspiring one!) we finally descended the stairs to the Sistine Chapel. Words simply cannot express what it was like to be in that room. It's smaller than I had imagined, even though the benches are taken out and it's completely open. To be there, looking at The Creation, The Judgement; knowing that Michelangelo himself had been in that very room for hours on end, stretching his imagination and creativity to the breaking point, the ancient technology that had gotten him there, on the scaffolding . . . the concept, ideas, and philosophies behind why he painted what he did . . . it was truly incredible. We were there for a mere fifteen minutes, and I was brought to tears three different times. [Now, for future travelers: ditch your tour guide here. Stay as long as you want, they're not going to show you anything else of interest. (ie, what we should have done!) : ) Oh well, it was wonderful!]
Our tour ended in front of St. Peter's, and we went inside to wander around. I didn't realize that Michelangelo's Pieta was in the cathedral, so was taken aback when we turned right inside the entrance and there it was! Absolutely incredible in person. Beautiful and emotional in a picture, a hundred times that face to face!
St. Peter's was overwhelming again, and probably more to the size and sheer monstrosity of it. The tombs of the Popes, the shrines dedicated to them, the altar . . . the absolute volume of it all. Wow.
Oh! We did find out the mystery of the padlocks--seems that if you are truly in love, and want to prove it, you write your names (or something romantic if you wish) on a padlock (or don't write anything, apparently it doesn't matter!), attach it onto something at a romantic location (such as the Ponte Sant' Angelo (Bridge of Angels), or a statue, or the fence at Fiesole overlooking Florence), and throw the key into the river (or olive grove at Fiesole), thus proving you are "locked" together for eternity . . . or the padlocks get cut off by local authorities . . . or whatever. Google it if you want to see some serious dedication! : )
So after lunch outside St. Peter's, we found Castel San'Angelo. A medieval castle with replicas of the battle armor, swords and weaponry, state rooms, and incredible views of St. Peter's and the Tiber River. (For those Angels and Demons fans out there, yes, this is the secret lair for the Hassassin, and there is indeed a secret passageway to the Vatican from here. It isn't underground, however--it's on top of a wall! Not very sneaky, but I guess it served its purpose!
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