But it is not connected (or not open to tourists), so you can only go around the city wall, which is still a long way. After going around the city wall, they finally saw a long queue, and the length of this queue was much longer than Yunluo and An Chuyu expected, comparable to the Saudi Pavilion of the Sihai City Expo. Yunluo and An Chuyu walked along this queue for almost ten minutes before they reached the main entrance of the museum.
There were many scalpers selling early entry tickets. It was already 9:30 when Yunluo arrived at the door. He was afraid that he would not be allowed in because it was too late. As a result, the guard saw Yunluo and An Chuyu shaking the bill and let them in directly. He was safe. Looking at the endless crowd behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The Easter holiday for Westerners is really a rip-off! There is a security check at the entrance of the museum, and then there is the ticket office and the guide rental office. I successfully got the ticket and guide with the reservation form, and asked the staff to switch to the Chinese version (the guides in Italy do not come with headphones, so remember to bring your own). I took the map and started to study where to start visiting this world-largest museum.
Later, I saw other people's travel notes on the Internet, which had very detailed Chinese maps and markings, which were clear at a glance. I was ashamed of myself. Next time I travel, I must make full preparations in advance for such large attractions. Otherwise, not only will I waste time on the spot, but the key is that it is easy to miss the wonderful parts and be dazzled.
Of course, this is also a matter of opinion. Some people are not willing to do a lot of planning in advance, thinking that this will lose the surprise of travel and the fun of exploring. In short, the museum is a long corridor, and the end is connected to the famous Sistine Chapel. At first, Yunluo didn't understand what the chapel was, but later he roughly understood it.
The so-called chapel is actually a small church. Later, Yunluo and An Chuyu visited several chapels (called chapels in English), most of which were connected to a cathedral of the same level as a basilica, as an ancillary room. According to Yunluo's personal understanding, the ceremonies and activities held in the main hall of the cathedral are usually more formal or of a higher level.
Ordinary or smaller activities are held in the chapel. Haha, I don't know if this understanding is correct. In short, the Sistine Chapel is a chapel in St. Peter's Basilica. Baidu found that it is used by the Pope to pray. And now every pope is also selected here.
Unfortunately, you can't enter the cathedral from the museum. I'll talk about how Yunluo and An Chuyu missed St. Peter's Basilica later. Follow the map, listen to the guide, and start your treasure tour! The first thing that catches your eye is the dense crowd. But for such a famous museum, it's impossible to expect a special show for you. Just follow along!
First is the Egyptian Pavilion. The relationship between Rome and Egypt is inextricable. Let's not talk about anything else, just talk about the story of Caesar and Cleopatra. I guess few people don't know about it. Hehe. Yunluo actually likes this pavilion very much, because the cultural relics on display are authentic antiques, dating back thousands of years before Christ, and he has a special preference for such ancient things.
Especially the inscriptions and seal carvings. When I was at the Shaanxi History Museum, I stared at the inscriptions on the bronze tripod thousands of years ago, as if the craftsman was right in front of me. I instantly felt like I was traveling through history. The charm of Egypt lies in the fact that its civilization is the oldest recorded history of mankind. The cultural relics exhibited here are some that were looted, some that were dug out, and some that were donated.
They are all genuine goods. There is a red number icon next to the more important exhibits. Enter the number on the guide to listen to the explanation, which is very detailed. Usually, you can switch to the next one if you can't finish listening. Behind is the Caesar Pavilion, a sculpture gallery, which is very spectacular. The top sculptures are preserved in it.
Outside is the famous Piazza del Pinecone, known for a huge bronze pine cone sculpture and the fountain in front. The Pinecone Fountain was originally in the Pantheon and moved to its current location in 1608. The bronze peacocks on both sides of the fountain are replicas of the decorations for Emperor Hadrian's Mausoleum (now Castel Sant'Angelo) (the originals are also stored in the museum).
There is also a giant head sculpture of Augustus (Octavian, the founding emperor of the Roman Empire) in the courtyard. Following the crowd into the promenade, the most exciting part began. Due to too many visitors, the traffic was slow. It was a dilemma, and I was basically squeezed in the middle all the way. The temptation and expectation of the Sistine Chapel at the end was too strong.
Although the previous exhibition halls were not amazing either, they almost became "appetizers" that people swallowed hastily without having time to chew them carefully. These included the Map Hall, the Tapestry Hall, etc. The most amazing thing was the gorgeous murals on the ceiling. I almost kept my neck tilted up the whole way, which is a good way to treat cervical spondylosis.
The photos taken indoors were not very good, especially An Chuyu's SLR. When the light was dim, the photos were all blurry. Speechless, Yunluo scolded me when I got back. However, no matter how beautiful the photos are, it is impossible to replicate the shock of being there. Of course, too many people did ruin the scenery. If I could appreciate it alone, what a paradise it would be!
Before entering the Sistine Chapel, there is an outdoor passage with a nice view. An Chuyu said that the square below was the filming location of "Angels and Demons" and some other movie, but Yunluo didn't seem to have any impression of it. In front of the Sistine Chapel, passing by Raphael's Rooms, Yunluo initially thought that was where Raphael lived.
Later I learned that it was impossible for him to enjoy this courtesy. No matter how famous an artist is, he is still a craftsman or employee of the Vatican or merchants. The so-called Raphael Rooms are several rooms that Raphael decorated on behalf of the Pope. Most of them are his works, and some are his students'.
Since Yunluo and An Chuyu were so focused on the Sistine Chapel, they didn't pay much attention to the famous "School of Athens"! They only remembered it afterwards. However, Raphael's style is relatively simple. I personally think that these works are actually very similar. The so-called masterpieces are just named by later generations, and they can be compared with geniuses like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.
Yunluo even thought that Raphael was a maniac and was called one of the three great masters of the Renaissance. I wonder if Raphael would feel ashamed of it. You have to know that the other two titles include sculptor, architect, poet, inventor, etc. Of course, Raphael's handsome appearance should add a lot of points to him.
Yunluo felt that Raphael's painting style could be basically summarized as clean, beautiful, and with many characters. From the perspective of painting alone, it should be impeccable. Finally, I saw a work of Van Gogh in a very inconspicuous corridor. In the surging crowd, it was actually reduced to a status where no one cared about it. Finally, the Sistine Chapel.
As soon as you enter the door, you will see a huge crowd of people crowded in the entire chapel. There is a row of seats by the wall for tourists to stop and watch. The edge of the chapel is barely maintained by security guards to keep a pedestrian passage to meet the flow of tourists. However, few tourists go straight to the exit. Most of them are reluctant to leave.
Yunluo and An Chuyu walked to the edge of the corner, listening to the explanation while looking up, and later found a seat to relax their sore feet. How to describe this room? In addition to the greatness and incredibleness of the technical level, Yunluo actually wants to say that it is a kind of touching.
Before the trip, Yunluo read the Bible story and got a general understanding of the contents of the Michelangelo dome work "Genesis" and the mural "The Last Judgment", both of which took 4-5 years to complete. Michelangelo wrote in his diary that he painted on the tripod day and night, and no one except the Pope himself was allowed to visit, and the paint dripped on his face.
The shape of the spine of the neck was changed, and the creation used the extremely difficult "fresco" form, that is, the color was used to depict while the mud was wet, and the fresco would not be damaged after the mud dried, which required extremely high standards from the painter. Michelangelo himself once called himself a "sculptor" and tried to turn down the commission on the pretext that he lacked painting experience, especially fresco experience.
At first, the Pope wanted the theme to be the twelve disciples of Jesus. Later, Michelangelo relied on his thorough understanding of the Bible and exerted his genius imagination to outline a more magnificent view. Yunluo felt that successful artists, and even successful people in various fields, tended to be paranoid. They would rather not do it than not do it.
If you do something, you must do it to the utmost. This is not only an explanation to others, but also a defense of personal honor. Yunluo was deeply moved by this spirit. Such a treasure is left to future generations to admire. They must also be looking down on their works with satisfaction in heaven. Photography is strictly prohibited in the Sistine Chapel. Here is a screenshot from the Internet.
(The first picture is the picture you see when you look up at the dome. The nine rectangular pictures in the middle are "Genesis". Each group of three pictures expresses the plot of the first chapter of the Old Testament. The second picture is the mural "The Last Judgment", which was commissioned 24 years after the completion of the ceiling mural. The size is 1370cmx1200cm. The general meaning is to promote that people who do good deeds will ascend to heaven after death.
The karma of doing evil is to go to hell. All the characters are naked. Later, the Pope thought it was blasphemous and ordered a painter to cover all the characters. Yunluo thought that it must be a blessing in his previous life to be able to paint on Mi Ye's masterpiece^_^). In short, this place and this work live up to its name.
After leaving the Sistine Chapel, I couldn't calm down for a long time. There are some scattered artworks behind, including a stained glass that I particularly like. Many cathedrals behind have this kind of stained glass, which is breathtaking. The spiral staircase at the exit is also very famous, especially the relief on the edge, which is very beautiful.
After having a quick meal in the cafeteria of the Vatican Museum, I headed to St. Peter's Square, which was my first stop in the morning. After exiting the museum, I saw that the queue was still endless. I once again sighed how worthwhile the 4 euro reservation fee was! However, bad news soon came. That is, St. Peter's Basilica was closed in the afternoon for mass!
It was a bolt from the blue. Yunluo and An Chuyu persevered and squeezed to the fence to ask, but they got a cold answer - it would not be open until the afternoon. It was a pity to miss the chance to see the world's largest church, especially the famous sculpture "Pietà" by Michelangelo that Yunluo and other fans had been looking forward to seeing.
Yunluo fell in love with it the first time she saw it online. Of course, the entire Baroque-style hall is undoubtedly a masterpiece in the world and unique. But this trip coincided with Easter, which was God's will and a reason for Yunluo to come again next time. Yunluo and An Chuyu began to stroll in St. Peter's Square, which is also a masterpiece.
St. Peter's Square can accommodate 500,000 people. It is the place where the Vatican holds large-scale religious activities. The Pope gives speeches here every week. The construction of the square took eleven years (1656-1667) and was supervised by the world-renowned architect Bernini. There are 4 rows of 284 columns around the square, and 140 statues of saints are on the columns.
In the center is a huge column (25.5 meters high and weighing 320 tons) brought from Egypt in 40 AD. This afternoon, I saw that the center of the square has begun to be decorated. There are many seats, which should be prepared for the Easter event tomorrow. By the way, the dome was designed by the architect Michelangelo when he was in his 80s.
Oh, I admire this old man. The balcony with red curtains is where the Pope appears. Later I checked the news that the Pope gave a speech here on Easter on April 5th. Pray for the world. I didn't get to visit St. Peter's Basilica, so I walked along the Vatican wall to Castel Sant'Angelo. It's very close on foot.
There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!
Castel Sant'Angelo looks very old. It was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 139 AD as a mausoleum for himself and his descendants. In the 6th century, Pope Gregory I erected a statue of an archangel holding a sword on the top of the fort to fight against the Black Death that was prevalent at the time, hence the name Castel Sant'Angelo. The interior mainly houses weapons and other military items from the Roman period.
I was not interested and did not go in to see it. The Ramapass can be used here once. The Ponte Sant'Angelo was designed by the master Bernini. There are twelve angel statues on it, which are very beautiful. After walking across the Ponte Sant'Angelo, you will arrive in Rome. The following attractions such as Piazza Navona and the Pantheon are almost on the same line and can be reached on foot.
Small cities are good! Piazza Navona was an arena in ancient Rome and was built by Emperor Domitian in 86 AD. It was transformed into a beautiful Baroque square during the Renaissance. The most famous are the two eye-catching fountains designed by Bernini: the Moro Fountain at the south end of the square and the Four Rivers Fountain in the center.
The sculptures in the Fountain of the Four Rivers represent the four rivers of paradise (Danube, Nile, Plate and Ganges) and the four corners of the known world (Asia, Africa, Europe and America). In the center is an Egyptian obelisk. The obelisk is a monument to the worship of the sun in ancient Egypt. There are 29 obelisks from ancient Egypt in the world.
There are currently 9 obelisks preserved in Egypt. Italy has 11 Egyptian obelisks, the largest number in the world, most of which were transported from Egypt to the Roman Empire during the ancient Roman period. They are currently stored in St. Peter's Square, in front of the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, Boboli Gardens in Florence, etc.
This is from Baidu Encyclopedia. In the past, I only heard that there is an obelisk square in the Place de la Concorde in France, which was presented by the Egyptian people as a token of friendship. It seemed very noble. This time, I found that the Romans didn’t care much about it at all. As a result, the brilliance of several popular attractions completely covered the obelisk, and people almost forgot this great Egyptian relic.
Personally, I think this square is just average, but the church opposite is amazing. I just got turned away at St. Peter's Church. I was in a bad mood and saw that there was nothing special about the exterior of this church, so I thought of going in to take a look. As a result, I was blinded as soon as I entered the door. Maybe it was because Yunluo and An Chuyu didn't go to St. Peter's.
Perhaps it was because this was the first church Yunluo and Anchu had entered on this trip. In short, the Baroque brilliance and magnificence was just like that. It was enough to make people sincerely amazed in an instant. The church is called St. Agnes Church (Santagnese inagone), and the front was designed by the famous Baroque architect, Bernini's rival Borromini.
It was built on the tomb of a saint who was martyred at the age of 13 because she refused to marry a pagan. Continue walking forward and you will soon arrive at the Pantheon, which is solemn and majestic. The Pantheon is the only building from the Roman Empire that has been completely preserved to this day. It was built between 27 and 25 BC.
Built by Agrippa, the son-in-law of Octavian, the first Roman emperor, to worship the gods of Mount Olympia, it is a classic building of the Augustus period. A fire in 80 AD destroyed most of the Pantheon, leaving only a rectangular colonnade with 16 12.5-meter-high granite columns, which was used as the porch of the later rebuilt Pantheon.
The top of the porch is engraved with commemorative texts from the initial construction period, and the eight huge columns on the front of the porch still show the original scale of the Pantheon. Before the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence was completed, the dome of the Pantheon was the largest unsupported dome in the world, and the designer of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore learned from the ancients here in the Pantheon.
It completed a great feat during the Renaissance. In front of the Pantheon, a singer was singing Italian opera, attracting many people to watch. Along the way, I met many street performers, whose performances, paintings, and singing were all fascinating. Italy is indeed a land of literature and art. Sitting in the Pantheon and looking up at the dome, I couldn't help but sigh at the wisdom and strong faith of the ancients.
After leaving the Pantheon, the planned itinerary for today basically came to an end. Because we didn't visit St. Peter's Basilica, we saved a lot of time. There is no subway station near the Pantheon, so Yunluo and An Chuyu made full use of the Aowei navigation and Romapass to find a nearby bus stop and prepare to take the bus back to the hotel.
When taking the bus, you punch in the card yourself, no one cares. Yunluo and An Chuyu didn't know how to use it at first, but later they found that the paper-like Romapass actually has a touch chip inside, which is high-end. Get off at the Republic Square. The Republic Square is part of the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian, and is adjacent to the central railway station, the transportation hub of Rome. (To be continued...)