Rome - The Vatican

Thursday, 15 September 2016

The cruise portion of our trip began in the afternoon. Before boarding the ship we had a tour of the most important sights in the Vatican. The crowds were oppressive, but it was worth it to see so many famous pieces of art. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed in the Sistine Chapel.

Our tour started with the Vatican Museums. This is "Lacoön and His Sons".

The Museums have several long galleries. This is the Map Gallery. The wall are all Roman paintings of maps of the ancient world. The ceiling has amazing small paintings.

A detail from one of the maps shows an Egyptian obelisk being transported to Rome. Not shown is how the obelisk gets on and off the ship -- and how it was then transported 80 km (50 miles) to Rome!

The exterior of St. Peter's Basilica gives no hints of the splendors inside. It pretty much looks like just another Baroque building.

Looking up into the dome.

Michelangelo's Pieta is now protected behind bulletproof glass after a damaging attack in 1972.

Piazza San Pietro ("St. Peter's Square") from the steps of St. Peter's Basilica.

Fountain in Piazza San Pietro.

At the mandatory safety briefing aboard the Variety Voyager. Rome's harbor at Civitavecchia is an 80 km (50 mile) drive from center Rome.