Musei Vaticani belongs to one of those museums where one is simply overwhelmed by all the artifacts, sculptures, and paintings gathered in a relatively small space. It would be difficult to recall all of them, not to mention describing or even take photos of all of them. It would be only too much.

The foundation of the Vatican Museums was laid by Pope Julius II in 1506. The story begins with the discovery of the Laocoön statue in a vineyard near the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Recognizing its immense value and historical significance, Pope Julius II acquired the statue and placed it in the Vatican. This marked the beginning of the Vatican’s collection of art and antiquities. Over the following centuries, successive popes expanded the collection through conquests, donations, and acquisitions. The collection grew to include not only classical sculptures but also Renaissance art, Egyptian artifacts, Etruscan artifacts, and much more. The museums are known for their extensive collection of Roman sculptures, which are considered one of the most important collections in the world. One of the most significant contributions to the Vatican Museums was the decoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, the ceiling paintings, completed between 1508 and 1512, are regarded as a masterpiece of High Renaissance art. In the 18th century, Pope Clement XIV and Pope Pius VI founded the Museo Pio-Clementino, focusing on classical sculpture. This period marked a significant expansion of the museums, with the establishment of the Chiaramonti Museum and the Braccio Nuovo gallery by Pope Pius VII in the early 19th century. The establishment of these and other museums within the Vatican was part of an effort to preserve and exhibit the vast collection of art and artifacts that had been amassed. The Musei Vaticani today consist of several pontifical museums and galleries, each dedicated to a specific type of art or era, such as the Picture Gallery, the Raphael Rooms, the Etruscan Museum, the Egyptian Museum, and the Ethnological Museum. The museums are also home to the Vatican Library and the Vatican Secret Archives, which contain some of the most important historical documents and manuscripts in the world.

In the Vatican Museums, visitors have the opportunity to choose among various routes, often commencing with the antiquities section. This area is rich in sculptures, busts, reliefs, mosaics, and other ancient artifacts, with a notable scarcity of paintings—a balance that is more than made up for in other sections of the museum. The ambiance here is distinctly antique, encouraging visitors to focus on the historical significance of the artifacts they encounter. As one progresses through the Vatican Museums, the emphasis shifts towards art, including paintings and frescoes, as well as exceptional craftsmanship. Several rooms resemble art galleries, where the main attraction is the paintings on display. Yet, there are also spaces where it becomes essential to look both around and up. Among the most awe-inspiring frescoes are those found in Raphael’s Rooms—a suite of chambers adorned by Raphael himself. Additionally, the Vatican Museums feature at least two passages running alongside extensive corridors, each adorned with frescoes on their ceilings and spanning several hundred meters in length. One such corridor is known for its tapestry maps, while the other consists of a series of passages within the Vatican Library.

Visiting this museum, one has to be prepared to find oneself in a crowd – there are daily hundreds of tourists, who want to visit this place. Regarding entry, there are primarily two queues: the official queue, where waiting times can extend to about an hour or more, and a quicker alternative. Opting for this route often requires paying a premium for the ticket. Although this method may seem somewhat unofficial or an “under the desk” procedure, it is a practical solution for those looking to save time. This approach allows visitors to bypass the longer waits and access the museum’s treasures more directly, albeit at a higher cost.

A SELECTION OF MY PHOTO  IMPRESSIONS:  MUSEI VATICANI  (2015)