Vatican City Essential Stop in Rome.
Written: Dec 05 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Exceptional Art.
Cons: Lot of Walking.
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| coldsteel7's Full Review: Holy See (Vatican City) |
When visiting Rome, be sure to visit the Vatican. The Vatican Museum costs less than ten dollars to get in, and is money well spent. After entering the Museum, you walk on a steep ramp-style walkway approximately 50 feet or so up. The tour involves plenty of walking, but the entire walk takes you past an uncomprehendable amount of statues, paintings, mosaics, stained glass, and rugs. The highlight of this tour is the Sistine Chapel, which is breathtaking. Be sure to have a good camera, because flashes are not permitted in the Museum. Inside the Sistine Chapel, no photography is permitted. After exiting the Sistine Chapel, there are several more exhibits to take in. If you take your time to enjoy the art, it can take an entire day.
The entrance to the Vatican is on the other side of Vatican City on Saint
Peter's Square. The square is large and surrounded by a circular columned wall, which has statues stationed around the perimeter on top of the wall. The Swiss Guards are visible at points outside the Vatican, and are easily identified by their blue and orange uniforms. If you are planning to go inside the Vatican (which you should), you must have on long pants and no tank tops. Anyone dressed excessively revealing, or questionable will most likely be turned away. There is no cost to visit the Vatican. The interior is awesome. The statue La Pieta is to your right as you enter, followed by a angel-laden basin. The popes have their final rest inside the Vatican, and some of the bodies are visible. The interior of the Vatican is also filled with art, mostly in the architecture. There is a private chapel inside the Vatican, but again, photography is prohibited. At the center of the Vatican is a large stage ornately and magnificently adorned with intricately detailed pillars. To the left, right and front of the platform are pews, for the mass which is conducted on Wednesdays. The Vatican is a quicker visit than the Museum, but is worth seeing.
Where else in the world, can you walk around the perimeter of a country in an hour? Vatican City is a sovereign nation, and is only a couple square miles in size. It is an exceptional place to visit, regardless of your religious affiliation. I would highly recommend this visit to adults. I am not sure that children's attention spans will last very long, and there is a great deal of walking in the Museum. In Saint Peter's Square there are several street merchants who will sell you rosaries for about 5000 lire, which is about three dollars. They also sell t-shirts and other trinkets with a tie to the Vatican.
Recommended:
Yes
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