Italy - 2

Hi, On Saturday, April 16 Ruthe and I visited Vatican City in the morning.

Upon entering the museum at the beginning of the tour visitors are immediately confronted by this spiral ramp.

We entered into a courtyard with this view of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

In another courtyard we found Arnaldo Pomodoro's original sphere within a sphere.  Pomodoro says that the inner ball represents the Earth and outer ball represents Christianity. The design of the internal layers which look like the gears or cogwheels of a complex machine symbolizes the fragility and complexity of the world.

Looking north from the sphere within a sphere is an art gallery.

This is the Chiaramonti Museums which houses a variety of statues, sarcophagi, and friezes.

The ceilings in many of the galleries are decorated (above and two below).

The Hall of Maps (above) has a very intricate ceiling (below).

Finally we entered St. Peter's Basilica (above and two below).  No photos were allowed in the Sistine Chapel and it was dark in there.

The Swiss Guards at an entrance.

The tour ended when we exited the Basilica into St. Peter's Square (above and two below).

Thanks for looking.