Rome Part III-Vatican Museum

The Pope's ancient globe-zodiac

Even the gift shops, and there were many, had painted ceilings

This large area of rooms as far as you could see was closed off-every square inch appears to be painted
 with art

Inside the Vatican museum, so much art and sculpture it's nearly overwhelming. The crowds were thick with tour groups and at times it was almost impossible to move forward. Most was accessible to photographing without flash but the exception was the Sistine Chapel. Even though there were people ignoring the orders shouted every two minutes and cutting pictures, some even with their flashes on, I refrained. I'm sure you can find really great closeups on line. My overall take was it is much bigger than I thought and it truly is a masterpiece. One of many in this place.

Another gift shop

This looked to be gold leafed metal of some sort

View from inside the museum

The old armory of the Vatican. There were hundreds of these cabinets where the swords and armor were stored.

A huge collection of busts that stretched for over a hundred yards-both sides of the corridor  -who were all these people?

Examples of women's headdress and hairdo's from that era

Thousands of fig leaves applied after the fact at some point

Outside in one of courtyards-that famous giant pine cone 

Egyptian 

There were two large halls with just animal sculpture-we were lucky we got in as it closed later due to the crowds 

Gore as art

More gore as art

I like the picture of the cat going after the chickens

Yep, it's a rock lobster 

Still in the Vatican-remnants of a very old fresco, from a
1100's chapel that was redone in the 1600's 

This is also part of the very old chapel fresco-apparently the whole thing was adorned with these and only a few are all that remain.

It's a very large bathtub-all marble of course

A room that was closed to the public -not sure why

Bill Wilson's estate is paying for this restoration 

A sarcophagus that took 47 horses to move and depicts an army tromping ????

These guys are holding up the above mentioned sarcophagus

Inside the Vatican Map Room 

Looking up in the Map Room 

Rome Part II

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Looking up at the Church above the Capitol Courtyard designed by Michelangelo.
We found a Gospel group singing in here.

View from the Michelangelo Steps

Barberini "Bees"-his trademark-he was a past Pope(when this church was built perhaps..)

Hand of "Colossus"

Romulus-the original I believe-thousands of years old-by the way, the Rome Police wear Romulus arm patches.

Not sure what the frame of cherubs means

Roman road through the Forum

All the Palatine was stripped from the exterior for new palaces being built. What's left are the holes.

Strange stuff going on outside-people in gladiator costumes shaking down tourists

This shows how the Colosseum was laid out with trap doors and a large wooden deck covered with sand.

View from the Colosseum

Down below the stage-must have been a really scary place in its day

Ancient idol.

It's magic!

Selling postcards

Justice Building at the Forum