On Christmas Eve, we went and toured the Vatican.
The view from our hotel room. You can see the Colosseum in the top middle.
While we were walking from the subway to Vatican City, we were approached by several sales people for tour companies. One guy followed us for a few blocks saying that the Vatican closed in 30 minutes and there was no way we were going to make it in before it closed so we better use their tour so we could go to the front of the line. Since we were so sick of pushy sales people, so we decided to risk it. When we got to the Vatican, we found that it actually closed several hours later and there was almost no line to get in.
St. Peter's Basilica.
You can see them setting up for the Midnight Mass Broadcast.
I loved all of the statues along the roof.
The Swiss Guard.
Looking up at the Pope's Balcony.
The hallway leading in to St. Peter's Basilica.
The doorway in.
It was very grand and beautiful.
Michelangelo's Pieta.
The dome designed by Michelangelo.
The Central Piers. According to the tour book we had, the Central Piers holds St. Peter's Basilica relics, which are the spear of St. Longinius, which is the sword that stab Christ on the cross, St. Veronica's handkerchief bearing Christ's face, and a piece of the cross.
The Baldacchino, which was done by Bernini.
The Statue of St. Peter.
The Tomb of John XXII
The marble wall listing all of the Popes.
The Monument to Pope Pius VII.
The Monument to Pope Pius VII.
There was a giant nativity set up inside.
One of the Central Piers, where the relics are supposed to be.
Since the Vatican is considered it's own country, it had it's own post office. We mailed some post cards to our family from there.
It started raining a little while we were there. There is a really funny story about our umbrella. We had brought one with us to Europe, but it got stolen in Venice. When we were in Florence, it started raining and immediately this lady started pushing her umbrellas on us. Usually we just ignored them and walked on, but Gavin made the mistake this time of stopping. While she was shouting different prices at Gavin, this other lady pushes her way up to Gavin trying to sell her umbrellas. Gavin kept backing up and they kept pushing towards him. The first lady was trying to sell Gavin one umbrella and he kept saying that we needed to. Gavin pulled out some change and the second lady grabbed the change and shoved two umbrellas at him before the first lady could do anything. The first lady was so upset and started yelling at the second lady and hitting her over the head with her umbrellas. It was the craziest thing. Gavin's umbrellas got ruined in the rainstorm the night before, so we were only left with mine. Thus Gavin with the old lady umbrella.
Since the Vatican is considered it's own country, it had it's own post office. We mailed some post cards to our family from there.
It started raining a little while we were there. There is a really funny story about our umbrella. We had brought one with us to Europe, but it got stolen in Venice. When we were in Florence, it started raining and immediately this lady started pushing her umbrellas on us. Usually we just ignored them and walked on, but Gavin made the mistake this time of stopping. While she was shouting different prices at Gavin, this other lady pushes her way up to Gavin trying to sell her umbrellas. Gavin kept backing up and they kept pushing towards him. The first lady was trying to sell Gavin one umbrella and he kept saying that we needed to. Gavin pulled out some change and the second lady grabbed the change and shoved two umbrellas at him before the first lady could do anything. The first lady was so upset and started yelling at the second lady and hitting her over the head with her umbrellas. It was the craziest thing. Gavin's umbrellas got ruined in the rainstorm the night before, so we were only left with mine. Thus Gavin with the old lady umbrella.
To get to the Vatican Museum, you need to leave St. Peter's Square and walk around to the other side of the Vatican.
The Vatican Museum.
The Raphael Rooms, which were the reception rooms originally intended for Pope Julius II.
Raphael's Fire in the Borgo
The Raphael Rooms, which were the reception rooms originally intended for Pope Julius II.
The Room of the Signature, which is one of the Raphael Rooms.
Raphael's Fire in the Borgo
Raphael's the Battle of Ostia.
Raphael's The School of Athens.
There was also a modern art exhibit. This was my favorite piece.
The hallway approaching the Sistine Chapel.
There were no pictures allowed in the Sistine Chapel, due to it's sacred nature (it was surprising how many people still took pictures in front of the guards), but here is a panaroma of the ceiling's art work that I found online. The Chapel is very small, and much more intimate that we were expecting. The paintings are beautiful. This was definently a highlight of our trip.
Raphael's The School of Athens.
There was also a modern art exhibit. This was my favorite piece.
The hallway approaching the Sistine Chapel.
There were no pictures allowed in the Sistine Chapel, due to it's sacred nature (it was surprising how many people still took pictures in front of the guards), but here is a panaroma of the ceiling's art work that I found online. The Chapel is very small, and much more intimate that we were expecting. The paintings are beautiful. This was definently a highlight of our trip.
Everything in the museum was absolutely beautiful. I loved seeing all of the art.
The Last Supper wasn't on display because they were repairing the windows in the room or something. We were really disappointed.
A Bernini angel.
The Last Supper wasn't on display because they were repairing the windows in the room or something. We were really disappointed.
A Bernini angel.
The famous spiral staircase.
After the Vatican, Gavin wanted to check out the Pantheon in the rain storm. While walking there, I may or may not have threatened to shove my umbrella up a street sales person's butt (he followed us for about ten minutes. I had lost my patience with him. He left us alone after that).
After the Vatican, Gavin wanted to check out the Pantheon in the rain storm. While walking there, I may or may not have threatened to shove my umbrella up a street sales person's butt (he followed us for about ten minutes. I had lost my patience with him. He left us alone after that).
There is something about monuemnts at night. They usually look so much prettier.
We had Christmas Eve dinner at this little cafe near the Pantheon, which was delicious. We grabbed a taxi to take us to the hotel, which was a little terrifying. Those Rome drivers are something else.
We had Christmas Eve dinner at this little cafe near the Pantheon, which was delicious. We grabbed a taxi to take us to the hotel, which was a little terrifying. Those Rome drivers are something else.
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