In my Uni days, in Art History subject, Renaissance was a major topic and 3 primary names taught were Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael and a masterpiece of Michelangelo was the ceiling of Sistine Chapel. So to visit Sistine Chapel was a dream for me! When I stood in front of the Museum with my backpack, it was a dream come true!!!
I had already booked the ticket for 2 PM and I had my bus at 5.15 PM. After reading a couple of blogs about the practical information there, I was really unsure if I'd be able to make it to the bus on time, so I went there to the entrance by 1 PM and thankfully I was let in. The guards didn't bother much about keeping the exact time and that was a blessing in disguise for me. Read on more about this time issue in the tips section below. There were several very long queues at the entrance, however I was let in as I had a reservation already.So well, as soon as I entered, very close to the ticket counter (yes, the reservation has to be exchanged for a different ticket here), is one of my favorite Roman sculptures 'Laocoon and his Sons' made between 200 BCE to 70 CE. Just beside it is 'Apollo Belvedere', again a Roman sculpture of 120-140 CE. Beside it is the heavily damaged 'Belvedere Torso' of early 2nd C BCE.Opposite to this is a passage that leads to where audio guides were distributed and then the long walk began towards Sistine. Soon an open courtyard is there where there's a fountain with some intriguing sculptures can be seen.Beyond this courtyard, the first Museum I went to was Museo Chiaramonti which is where all the spectacular Classical Roman marble sculptures are in display incl this majestic Emperor Tiberius of 37 CE. Further ahead was the Museo Pio Clementino where there are more sculptures and there's an open octagonal courtyard as well. This place also houses several sarcophagi. Beyond this, within the same Museum, is a circular hall will larger than life sized bronze and marble sculptures along the wall incl Statue of Claudius, Galba, Hera Barbeni and more in marble, Hercules of the Theatre of Pompey in bronze and huge mosaic work on the floor. Further ahead after a couple of turns towards Sistine is Galleria dei Arrazi which is a gallery full of tapestries. Then came this room which was air conditioned called the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche, which is essentially the room of Maps. But almost no one bothered to look at the maps, coz everyone was looking up. The ceiling was just jewel like with every inch filled with paintings and gilded with gold as well. That's the first pic of this post.
Then came Stanze di Raffaello. What would happen if a person who loved chocolate brownie is given Sizzling Chocolate Brownie topped with Chocolate icecream??? The reason I went there was for Angelo's Sistine Chapel and I had forgotten that I'll also get to see Raphael's School of Athens, another painting I totally adore!!! This was a series of 4 rooms all painted on all 4 walls and ceiling by Raphael in 1509-1511. I was just in Cloud 9! I was there in that room for quite some time before moving on.
Soon after that, after a couple more rooms, came my destination - Sistine Chapel. The whole room was filled with people! My claustrophobia did peep its head up but I tried my best to just overcome my fears and enjoy what I came to enjoy. The wall of the room were covered with curtains....... Or where they??? Well, they're painted curtains!!! Above them were a frieze of paintings and then there was the glorious ceiling, all painted by Michelangelo in 1508-1512. To see the lifeless body of Adam and the velocity of God moving while passing on 'life' to Adam, to see it in all its original glory...... that's one feel that I can't explain in words. After being mesmerizing and frozen in its beauty for quite a bit, I looked for the exit.Well, there are 2 exits at the Sistine Chapel - right and left. The left exit is the actual exit which leads to few more galleries (almost equal to number visited on the way up) and the final Bramante Staircase. Well, there are 2 Bramante Staircases - the original built in 1505 which is not open to public but only to Pope and his Cardinals, the new one built in 1932, a double helix structure which is the final exit from Sistine Chapel. However while going through several blogs before I actually ventured to Vatican, I came across this one super tip - get out of Sistine through Right exit. That Right exit is only meant for groups but I squeezed myself in and got out through that. That directly leads to the side entrance of St.Peter's Basilica!!!! Read more about this Exit issue in the Tips section below.I entered the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel by 1 PM and after somewhat seeing half of the galleries (as I totally missed all the galleries in the return from Sistine to main Exit) and spending some decent amount of time in Raphael Rooms & Sistine Chapel I exited by 4 PM after which I visited the St.Peter's Basilica, it was perfect timing to reach the bus stand. Had I gone by 2 PM... God save me!!!!!!!!!
To Get There:
Nearest Metro Station: Vatican
Nearest Bus stop: San Marco Rettorato
Entry Ticket: €16.00
Plus €4.00 as reservation charges if booked online
Plus €7.00 optional if you require audio guide
Admission is free on last Sunday of every month from 9:00AM to 12:30PM
Closed on all other Sundays.
Timings on Mon-Sat: 9:00AM to 6:00PM (last entry 4:00PM)
Here are some tips:
There are way too many sites that sell tickets for entry and I had a tough time to figure out which is real and which is fake, so let me make your life easier - Official Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel Tickets by Musei Vaticani, the official site.Photography is not allowed inside Sistine Chapel. Its is however allowed in all other places in Vatican Museum. ![]()
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