(Rome, Italy)

Our first stop on the way to Vatican City was at the Pantheon.  Before researching our visit to Rome, I don’t think I appreciated how the Pantheon was different from the Parthenon in Athens.  There are definite similarities:  they are both 2000+ years old and both have that classical façade.

The Pantheon is the oldest continuously used building in Rome.  There are lots of more recent additions inside of it, reflecting the changes of time (Christianity, Italian royalty, etc.).  But the most impressive element is the massive dome on top of it.  I can’t imagine how awesome this must have looked to an ancient Roman.   It looks huge even today.   Like many massive indoor structures, however, it is difficult to properly capture on camera.   You’ll have to settle for the outdoor view, which doesn’t hint at the majesty within.

From the Pantheon, we passed through Piazza Navona (pictured at the top) and explored some nearby neighbourhoods full of twisty narrow streets.  We eventually made it to Vatican City (an independent country, through an interesting series of historic events) where we  sent some postcards we had promised to friends and family.

The Vatican has its own postal system and postcards mailed from there are therefore quite desirable to stamp collectors.

We visited the Vatican Museum after lunch and I’ll be honest:  we really went for one reason only…to see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo 500 years ago.  It did not disappoint.  Considered by many to be the greatest work of art ever created by an individual, its scale is massive.  And even if you aren’t impressed by the scale, the technical accomplishment is beyond belief.  It is truly remarkable that Michelangelo could design and paint such a massive work, with appropriate perspective, on a curving surface so high in the air.  A couple of years ago, we saw Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” in Milan.  While an undoubted highlight of our trip to northern Italy, I think it is surpassed by the Sistine Chapel.   Alas, the magnitude and appeal of the Sistine Chapel means that you will  be sharing the experience with hundreds of other (stunned) people.  It was much easier to take in  when sitting down on one of the benches along the side walls of the Chapel.    Otherwise, it will be dizzying in every sense of the word.  No photography was allowed, so you will have to see it for yourself!

A nice surprise was the Vatican’s exhibit of carriages and automobiles that have been used by the popes.  I took a  lot of pictures but I’ve only posted the “popemobile” that was carrying John Paul II during a terrorist’s attempted assassination in 1981.  There has been a definite shift over the centuries from luxury to functionality.

We ended our Vatican day by visiting St. Peter’s Basilica.  Again, the sheer scale is overwhelming.  It covers 6 acres and can hold 60,000 people.  However, partly because this was not the work of just one person, the immensity of it wasn’t quite as impressive as you might expect.  For me, the highlight was the “Pieta” by Michelangelo.

He carved this sculpture from a single piece of marble in his early twenties.   This would surely be the work of a lifetime for anybody else.  However, this was also the guy who painted the Sistine Chapel.  And, as it turns out, he also was involved with the design of St. Peter’s and the massive dome on top of it.

We are exhausted after an overwhelming day.  In order to see more of “random Rome”, we decided to walk from our hotel all the way to Vatican City.   By itself, it was quite manageable and we were able to see a lot of interesting things along the way.  However, when combined with the standing and walking in the Vatican itself, it may have been somewhat overambitious.  We will try to reduce the amount of walking tomorrow!