The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

Last edited Thu Jul 11, 2013, 04:56 PM - Edit history (1)

Contrary to what we had been told, once we got into the Sistine Chapel, we were allowed a very brief moment to take some pictures. This is the only one I was quick enough to get:



The justly famous Pieta by Michelangelo:



The School of Athens, by Rafael:

[OhioChick]

1. Beautiful pictures, Peggy

Thanks for posting.

[Aristus]

2. Thanks, CalPeg.

I've always thought of the 'Pieta' as a singularly stunning, moving piece of work. It's the only piece by Michelangelo that he ever signed, and no wonder; he was afraid some other sculptor would get the credit.

[Locut0s]

23. How the greats managed to work stone to look like silk...

Always floored me. I saw the Pieta as well as David and other works in museums in Italy and Paris and this aspect always stunned me about the sculptures.

[HappyMe]

3. Thank you so much for posting.

I bet this art was breathtaking in person.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. thank you for sharing these Peggy -

I wonder what your card will be this year!

[rug]

5. This is my favorite detail from The Last Judgment.

Freshly damned.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Thanks, everybody!

I apologize for not being able to correct the orientation of the Last Judgment. I don't know why I can't correct it to show properly, but I can't...

You'll just have to turn your heads!

[PeppinoImpastato]

7. and the catholic church claims to care for the poor

thats a laugh

[lunatica]

8. Amazing!

Thank you!

[joeybee12]

9. That is a GREAT photo of the Pieta!

The two times I was at the Sistene Chapel (about 10 years ago) no photos were allowed at all...of course, you could see all these people holding cameras down by their waist and pointing up! Maybe the change was they knew people would try, so let them take one and get it out of their systems!

[Nevernose]

10. I'm an atheist

But if anything could get me to convert, it would be the beauty of the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican itself is a work of art I never thought possible until I walked through it. I'm so glad you got to go!

(But if you go back, watch out for the cameras! I watched the Swiss Guard stomp a guy's camera, saw it with my own two eyes)

[Locut0s]

22. Wow that's uncalled for...

However I also know how much of an asshole some tourists can be so maybe the guy was asking for it? If it wasn't explicitly clear I always asked before taking pics if it was allowed.

[greiner3]

28. Me thinks;

Your professed atheism is on shaky ground regardless of your statement "But if anything could get me to convert, it would be the beauty of the Sistine Chapel."

[PeppinoImpastato]

11. the beauty of something created by man

would be more likely to make you believe in god? does that not strike you as a bit ridiculous?

[femmocrat]

12. How beautiful!

Thanks Peggy!

[Callalily]

13. I would imagine that

the artwork is awe inspiring!

[elleng]

14. GREAT WORK, CalPeg!

THANKS!

[rurallib]

15. Bravo and thank you.

[Kali]

16. wow!

surprising about the photography in this day and age - maybe they figure people would just be trying to sneak them anyway.

[Locut0s]

20. It's usually a ban on flash photography...

Flashes are extremely bright and over years it can damage the surface of paintings. Since it's so hard to enforce the no flash only rule they often just extend it to no photography in general.

[jpn.best]

27. Follow the money

While photography is banned because of the danger of flash to the art; it is also banned so that you have to buy a photo of the Chapel from the Vatican souvenir shop or from a post card; not unlike not being to bring your own popcorn or snacks into a movie or ball game because if you did, concession stands could not charge inflated prices.

[Rowdyboy]

17. Absolutely stunning

[UrbScotty]

18. Beautiful, my dear CaliforniaPeggy!

I can hardly wait to go there someday!

[Locut0s]

19. Fantastic Peggy, brings back good memmories...

Our trip to Italy was one of our best Vacations in recent years, I hope the same is true for you. I remember the Sistine Chapel and Pieta well. I have pictures of the Pieta somewhere but not as good as yours! I had a crappy camera at the time. Sadly when I was in the Sistine Chapel I believe they did forbid us to take pictures. Or perhaps it was just flash photography. I had a difficult time at times making myself understood in museums that said no flash photography. I was going to use my camera without the flash which would have been fine but they didn't understand and just strictly said no.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. I want to thank all of you for your comments...

Normally, I would answer each one of you, but right now I can't. I am fighting off a lousy cold/cough and I have so little energy...

Be sure I am reading all the comments!

[Kali]

24. Feel better fast!

be careful - my friend's mom had some problems after a flight this spring - I am sure you know the types of problems that can happen. I am sure it is just a travel cold and you will be fine in couple days, though.

[MADem]

25. Did you tromp up to the top of the cupola? Fantastic views of Rome from there....

Years ago, you could hang out on the lower roof--they don't let people do that any more.

The gift shop used to be hilarious--some of the "tourist stuff" there was Over The Top. The Musical Vatican that spun around and played "Arrivederci Roma" was one of the articles that I found most amusing.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

30. No, we didn't do that. I wouldn't have been able to anyway, with this cold.

[MADem]

31. It's a bit of a trek...claustrophoblic as well.

One's shoulders press up against the wall as you climb, because the stair gets smaller and smaller--and it's a real "Stairmaster" too. I went up there years ago with a video camera and took pictures of the panorama. I have no idea what I did with the tape!!!

I found a trek plopped up by some kid on YOUTUBE--it is a good representation of the climb (the music is a bit 'eh' but whatever):

[CaliforniaPeggy]

33. Yikes!

No way I could have done that...

Thanks for sharing!

[MADem]

34. I'm at the stage where I like the virtual tours, myself!

If I find myself in Roma again, I don't think I'd repeat the experience--too much effort! The views are brilliant, though, I will say.

[sinkingfeeling]

26. Wow, we were told absolutely NO photography in the chapel. There were

guards there to enforce it. Did the change in Popes cause the rule change? I was there in 2010.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

29. I have no idea...

It might have been a special arrangement between our group people and the guards. There isn't much consistency in the rule enforcement, I think.

[MADem]

32. I used to wander through there every time I went in to Rome, pretty much...

and I remember the No Photography admonitions as well. That didn't stop me, I used to keep a piece of black electrician's tape over the red "on" button on my old video camera, so I could turn it on and sort of aim it while appearing to have it slung over my shoulder in a sack. I got some great shots of the Sistine ceiling, as I remember!

I used to eat lunch on the roof of the place, right near the feet of the left-most saint. It was easy to hop over the parapet and sit in the roof gutter and enjoy the views of the square below. Sometimes I'd have a little nap. Can't do that shit anymore!

[Taverner]

35. The Sistine Chapel is amazing

I saw it and cannot begin to tell you how much in awe I was. It looked so real...the perspective, the everything.

And to think Mike did it by candlelight, only inches from the ceiling.

[LittleGirl]

36. I was there on 9/11/06

and we had to wait 3 hrs in the security line simply because of the date (5 yr anniversary of 9/11). Our tour guide said that that was the longest time she'd ever had to wait to enter the city walls. That wait caused us to nearly run through the tour because we were headed to other spots that afternoon. sigh. So anyway, they said, absolutely no photos but one of the group had a video camera (no flash) and took all kinds of video inside the chapel. I had a new camera so my photos of the interior of St. Pete's were terrible. And the glass walls around the pieta made a glare so that photo isn't very good either. Yours are great! Good work!

I've been sick all week too so I hope you feel better. I'm in the coughing fit stage of recovery. Be well! Cheers.

[cbdo2007]

37. the Pieta is the most amazing piece of art I've ever seen

Seeing it in person literally brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't stop staring at it. Just amazing. The Sistine Chapel was kind of disappointing to me just because I didn't feel relaxed enough to enjoy it after the long walk to get there and the crowds and it was surprisingly loud so I was just sort of annoyed by it, but it is beautiful as well.

Wonderful pictures! Thank you for sharing!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

38. What struck me was how much smaller it was in person...

That,...and the "creation of the sun and the moon" gave me a chuckle....

[SunSeeker]

41. LOL

[Brigid]

39. Wonderful pics, Peggy!

Did you say hello to Pope Francis for me?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

40. Oh Damn, my dear Brigid!

I KNEW I'd forgotten something!

[SunSeeker]

42. K & R

[Hestia]

43. This is a very interesting, albeit dry, book about the Sistine Chapel

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sistine-Secrets-Michelangelos-Forbidden/dp/B003B6532U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373721545&sr=8-1&keywords=secrets+of+the+sistine+chapel

The Sistine Secrets: Michelangelo's Forbidden Messages in the Heart of the Vatican

(Of course, NOW it is on sale, I paid full price)

A lot of the artwork was covered up by soot and debris, and it wasn't until the ceiling was restored that people really started to see what was painted. It's never been as good as it it now.

Did you know that there is an angel mooning the pope over the entryway that the pope enters from? His bum is as plain a day

About the Author
Rabbi Benjamin Blech is an internationally recognized educator, religious leader, author, and lecturer. A recipient of the American Educator of the Year Award, he has been a professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University since 1966. He is the author of eleven books and has written for the New York Times, Newsweek, and Newsday. He lives in New York City.