Vatican Museum

Our tour of Rome brought us to Vatican City early one Sunday morning. After passing through a small unimpressive door in the wall surrounding the Papal State, we were greeted by an enormous square. The entrance to the museums was at the far end guarded by a statue of a large pine cone?
Inside the treasures of hundreds of years awaited us.

Vatican City has been the principal seat of the Popes for over six hundred years. In around 846 A.D., Leo IV built a wall around the domain of St Peter's after the plundering of Rome by the Saracens.
It was in the reign of Pope Nicholas V that a most magnificent palace was built to house the princes of the church and the innumerable treasures accumulated through the centuries.

Once inside, we followed a long procession of tourists that snaked through the hallways of the museum. The vauled ceilngs were covered by priceless murals.

While on the walls were equally valuable paintings by the masters.

A ceiling fresco painted by Rapheal.
A visit to the Vatican museum would not be complete without a visit to the Sistine Chapel. Although forbidden to take pictures of it, I still would like to make mention of it.

When you first enter the chapel the first thing you see is the floor to ceiling high painting of the Last Judgement by Michelangelo. Its brilliance and sheer size leaves you speechless and humbled.

Along the two side walls were frescoes of scenes of the Old and New Testament executed by other eminemt Florentine and Umbrian painters. Each a master in his own right. Yet when we think of the Sistine Chapel, we think of Michelangelo lying on his back painting the ceiling.