Vatican City

The Vatican City is a state within Rome and governed by Rome's bishop, the pope. The Vatican's museum is the most visited museum in the world.
[EDIT] It is the 5th most visited musuem in the world. Thanks for the info Vins, they almost tricked us!

Lunch just outside Vatican City walls so we're still in Rome here.
 In AD 313, the Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal and for the first time, they were allowed to openly worship.

Sphere Within Sphere by Pomodoro in the courtyard. Much more of a modern piece in the Vatican.

In the Vatican museum you'll see quite a bit of pagan art. The reason its okay to be here is because the pope felt it held no religious significance and kept it displayed for the sake of it being art and part of our history.
Most of the statues we see were found buried. Heads were missing from statues because it was the easiest part to steal instead of trying to take the entire statue.

 Laocoön and His Sons shows the Trojan priest Laocoön and his sons being strangled by sea serpents. When this statue was discovered Lacoon's right arm was missing. Aritsts debated on how the arm should appear. Michaelangelo believed the arm was bent back over the shoulder others believed the arm should be shown extended.

Nero's bath basin which is made out of a now extinct red marble.
All bronze sculptures were ordered to be melted down for their lime and used to make weapons for the Roman army. This sculpture of Hercules of the Theatre of Pompey was saved, it was struck by lightining and thought there was some significance to that.


Artemis Goddess of Fertility, those aren't multiple breasts, those are bull testicles.


Mosaic using a rare blue tile which is the same type of tile (crushed) used to paint the sky in The Last Judgement on the wall in the Sistine Chapel.
The ceiling is flat... its painted to give the look of third dimension.

Over 20 tapestries by Raphael and used as means of insulation and art (of course).
NO PHOTOGRAPHY, NO VIDEO, NO TALKING in the Sistine Chapel.... Someone didn't get the memo.


This shot was taken right before I tripped down the step that jumped right in front of me. I yelped and Mike shook his head. I didn't lose my teeth!



Robot and the Swiss guards.
 Someone should tell this guy he has a bird on his head.

More free water to wash my hands
Madonna and Child


The exterior wall of St. Peter's Basilica is from the fallen exterior wall of the Colosseum.
I'm at the basilica touching the Colosseum.

The Porta Sancta (Holy Door) is opened once every 25 years, a Holy Year (Jubilee). There are 4 sets of these doors. The last opening ocurred in 2000. Only the pope may open it on the first day of a Holy Year by striking the brick with a silver hammer and opening it. On the day it is opened you can walk through these doors and have your sins forgiven... its much easier to repent now then to wait 25 years if you ask me.
 Michelangelo's pieta, a piece I was eager to see even though my personal favorite pieta is the Rottgen Pieta.


Robot taking a break from all the walking.


This concludes our tour for today ;)
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