I am quite sure I have never been anywhere more fantastic in my life.
Vatican City is easily the most mind-blowingly vast, beautiful, and significant place I have ever been. It is so large, so grand, and so ........ influential, I have never seen anything quite like it. There are a mind blowing number of people swarming around to see it at every time of day, and when I think about the role that the Catholic church played in shaping the modern world, it's just so amazing to actually have seen where it all was centered. I'm convinced that the Vatican museum has every important thing in the history of human kind housed somewhere within it, and if you haven't been, promise yourself you'll go. It's nothing short of an amazing place.
Here is a view of St. Peter's Basilica from Saint Peter's Square . I love the chairs. :)
Here's an awesome panoramic view of the square from wikipedia:
I kept catching myself staring at these statues that lined the courtyard.
The line for entrance to St. Peter's Basilica wrapped all the way around the piazza.
So beautiful.
The Swiss Guard, protecting one of the side entrances.
A section of ceiling in the foyer.
Mom and Grace inside St. Peter's.
I know it makes sense that all of the very old buildings would have been designed to mostly operate using natural light, but I was impressed by how efficiently the few windows worked at lighting the vast and cavernous space inside the basilica.
Not to mention how lovely it looked with all of the natural light streaming in.....
This Bernini statue over the entrance to the tomb of Pope Alexander VII was easily my favorite. This shot doesn't nearly do it justice, it was magnificent.
From wikipedia, "The tomb of Fabio Chigi, Pope Alexander VII, towards the end of the aisle, is the work of Bernini and called by Lees-Milne "one of the greatest tombs of the Baroque Age". It occupies an awkward position, being set in a niche above a doorway into a small vestry, but Bernini has utilised the doorway in a symbolic manner. Pope Alexander kneels upon his tomb, facing outward. The tomb is supported on a large draped shroud patterned red marble, and is supported by four female figures, of whom only the two at the front are fully visible. They represent Charity and Truth. The foot of Truth rests upon a globe of the world, her toe being pierced symbolically by the thorn of Protestant England. Coming forth, seemingly, from the doorway as if it were the entrance to a tomb, is the skeletal winged figure of Death, its head hidden beneath the shroud, but its right hand carrying an hour-glass stretched upward towards the kneeling figure of the pope."
Another ceiling shot.
The detail in the marble flooring went largely unappreciated, there was so much to see all around.
This is just outside the basilica in the courtyard. I think I snapped this while Mom and Grace were in line for the bathroom. I love the shades of yellow that are so common on buildings in Italy, and the neat carved stone street signs, like this one.
Back outside after our tour of the basilica.
A quick video we shot to say hi to my Aunt Irene.... Hi Auntie !
One thing I just couldn't get over was how neat all of the gray fiberglass chairs that were scattered about the courtyard looked. They must have been set up for the Papal Audience the day before.
The view from inside the columns surrounding the square.
Resting, so much fun, but soooo much walking!
Imitating Romulus and Remus for no good reason. We were inspired by Gracie's milk bottle, I guess. And we're just too silly for our own good.
Feigning innocence. O : )
We went for an evening tour of the city, which was a highlight of the trip for me. My obsession with Vatican City continued, and Gracie and Mom waited (more or less) patiently while I took 200 photos.
But how could you not take 200 photos? It was just so beautiful ...
The police arrived to usher everyone out of the square, just as we were arriving. This meant no close up photos, but also saved Mom and Grace about an hour of me photo-stalking the basilica.
Goodbye for now, Vatican City, my beautiful friend. I'll be back....
<3,
Beth
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