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Vatican Museums

Vatican Museums
Museum information
NameVatican Museums
Established1506
LocationVatican City
Visitor figures4,310,083 (2008)
DirectorAntonio Paolucci

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The Vatican Museums ( ), in Viale Vaticano in Rome, inside the Vatican City, are among the greatest museums in the world, since they display works from the immense collection built up by the Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries, including some of the most renowned classical sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world.

Pope Julius II founded the museums in the early 16th century. The Sistine Chapel and the Stanze della Segnatura decorated by Raphael are on the visitor route through the Vatican Museums. They were visited by 4,310,083 people in the year 2007.

Vatican Museums Video

In the heart of Rome, the "Eternal City," can be found the world's smallest sovereign city-state, the Vatican. It covers an area of about 1 square km and is surrounded by the city wall which was built to protect the Pope. As the headquarters of the Catholic Church, it draws people from all corners of the globe to St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. The arrogant opulence of the Vatican is manifested in its treasures. The Vatican Museums are huge and it's impossible to see everything in one visit - even just for the highlights. Our tour started at the domed Quattro Cancelli area, near the entrance, and finished at the Sistine Chapel. Each gallery contains priceless treasures but for this tour, we focused on the Stanza di Raffaello, the Tapestries Gallery, the Gallerie delle Carte Geografiche (Map Gallery) and, of course, the Sistine Chapel. The chapel's ceiling, which was painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti (commissioned by Pope Julius II della Rovere in 1508 and completed in 1512), is an incredible, neck-breaking piece of art! Its two most famous pieces are Michelangelo's Genesis, which is located on the barrel-vaulted ceiling, and the Last Judgement, which is located on the end wall. This is also where the papal conclave is locked to elect a pope. The conclave is one of the most significant functions of the Sistine Chapel. The frescoes down the middle of the chapel represent nine scenes from the book of Genesis, with the <b>...</b>
9.58 min. | 4.43 user rating		 The circular staircase leading up to the Vatican museums. It was designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932.
0.58 min. | 5.0 user rating		 www.squidoo.com Travel to Italy Is your mind on pasta, ice cream, cheese, wine and ham, architecture, adventure, and Leonardo da Vinci? If so, you need our travel guide for Italy, to help you plan your next vacation. The names of the Italian cities that you will want to visit are Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence, and Siena. Include Sardinia, Portofino, and the Amalfi Coast. The Tigullio Gulf should not be excluded. With a history of over 2000 years, Rome could keep you that busy that you wont need to go anywhere else while on vacation. Within the Vatican City, in Rome, is St. Peters Square, which is usually open to the public. Get to beautiful old Venice, and browse around in the many museums and shops. While there, take in lunch at one of the many Hotels. While in Milan, take in a theatre performance, go to the cinema, and partake in a sumptuous meal at one of the many restaurants. The largest range of dairy products in Italy comes from the Gulf of Sicily, and the famous annual Aria di festa, a celebration devoted to ham, is held in San Daniele at the end of every August. Italy has a tradition of diverse delicacies, with the Italian creativity coming to the fore with their cheeses, hams, wines and oils, and not forgetting their vinegar and oil based vegetable sauces. Italy has many climatic conditions. If you enjoy aquatic activities, pick the best time to explore the many islands, beaches, rivers, and waterways in Italy. Due to the wide variety Italy offers, you will need <b>...</b>
2.53 min. | 4.0 user rating		 The room, that was designed to be used for receptions and official ceremonies, was decorated by the school of Raphael on the basis of drawings by the artist, who died prematurely before completion of the work (1520). It takes its name from Constantine (306-337 AD), the first Christian emperor to officially recognize the Christian faith, granting freedom of worship. On the walls are painted four episodes of his life which testify to the defeat of paganism and the triumph of the Christian religion: the Vision of the Cross, the Battle of Constantine against Maxentius, the Baptism of Constantine and the Donation of Rome. The decoration of the room is completed by figures of great Popes flanked by allegorical figures of Virtue. The original wooden roof which Leo X (pontiff from 1513 to 1521) had built was replaced under Gregory XIII (pontiff from 1572 to 1585) by the modern ceiling, the decoration of which was entrusted by order of the Pope to Tommaso Laureti who portrayed the Triumph of the Christian religion in the central panel. The work was completed at the end of 1585 under Pope Sixtus V (pontiff from 1585 to 1590).
0.67 min. | 5.0 user rating		 simages about the vatican museums visit the sistine chapel st peter's basilica, paintings by michelangelo , raphael, bernini and many major arists of reinassance and baroque time.no line, skip the line with easitaly tours.
1.30 min. | 4.33 user rating
At the end of the 16th century, pope Sixtus V ( 1585 -1590) built a new, larger site for the library, the Salone Sistino over the stairway that divided the Belvedere courtyard from the Pinecone courtyard. The upper floor was dedicated to the conservation and study. A series of cabinets placed along the walls and around pillars was planned in advance to receive volumes which were probably arranged horizontally. The temperature is held at a steady 20-22 Celsius with relative humidity at 50%.
0.35 min. | 5.0 user rating		 Sala Rotonda ancient mosaics.
0.40 min. | 5.0 user rating		 Sala Rotonda holding several ancient mosaics and statues.
0.38 min. | 4.75 user rating		 Taken on October 15, 2008
0.42 min. | 5.0 user rating		 Vatican Museums - Raphael's Rooms - Room of Constantine
0.35 min. | 5.0 user rating

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Pilgrims flock to Vatican for new saints, bringing stories, prayers - Catholic News Service Tweet this news
Catholic News Service--In addition to prayer vigils around Rome Oct. 16 in honor of the six men and women who were about to be declared saints, the -Vatican Museums- and the ... - Date : Sun, 17 Oct 2010 14:41:58 GMT+00:00
Rome: 5 best October values - Budget Travel Tweet this news
Budget Travel--Vatican by night Make it a Friday night to remember with special discounted after-hours visits to the -Vatican Museums-. This month only, the admission price ... - Date : Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:12:40 GMT+00:00
Outback roads lead to Rome on night of cultural communion - Brisbane Times Tweet this news
Brisbane Times--Research by curators of the -Vatican Museums- led to relatives of some of the men and women who made the objects, while others identified the objects as those ... - Date : Sat, 16 Oct 2010 13:12:53 GMT+00:00

Museums and art galleries in Rome

Capitoline Museums * Doria Pamphilj Gallery * Galleria Borghese * Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica * Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna * Galleria Spada * Museo Nazionale Etrusco * Museum of Roman Civilization * National Museum of Oriental Art * National Museum of Rome * Vatican Museums



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