Met at 7:30 am at the kiosk in the Piazza Risorgimento (right outside our B&B) for our Walks of Italy 4 hour Pristine Sistine tour. The goal of the tour is to enter the museum before the 9 am general admission time, walk quickly through the main halls of the Vatican Museum to the Sistine Chapel to be able to spend time there with only the other early access groups and not a mob. By the way, there are no pictures of the Sistine Chapel, the one place pictures are not allowed.

Hall of Maps

St. Peter Dome from a quick detour outside.

The Belvedere Courtyard with the dome in the background.

Laocoön in the Octagonal Courtyard. Greek and Roman myth — A Trojan priest of Apollo who warned the Trojans not to take in the Trojan horse, but then was attacked, with his two sons, by giant serpents sent by Athena and Poseidon. Aeneas heeding Laocoon’s warning about the Trojan horse, fled, and helped found Rome. The statue is likely from 40-30 BCE.

Laocoön is, according to Virgil in the Aeneid, the guy who said “Equo ne credite, Teucri! Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis." (Do not trust the horse Trojans! Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts.) Which has been one of Larry’s email sigs on and off for several years :)

Belvedere Torso, a piece of ancient sculpture most admired by artists right down to the present day. The sculpture dates from the 1st century BCE, signed by the Athenian sculptor Apollonius.

Tapestry, design from the workshop of Raphael, weaving from Brussels, 1520 - 1534. Resurrection of Jesus.

The famous Raphael School of Athens, painted between 1509 and 1511. Many of the philosophers bear the image of famous artists. The main two figures are Plato (Leonardo da Vinci) and Aristotle (Giuliano da Sangalo). Heraclitus (Michelangelo) is at the desk in the foreground. Apelles (Raphael) is nearly off this picture in the far right middle in the black beret facing mostly outward.

Inside the Basilica.

The Pieta by Michelangelo, 1498–1499.

Papal apartments. Francis actually lives in his old rooms, but goes there to wave from the second window from the right.

The curved arrangement of columns and the obelisk from St. Peters Square.

Front of the Basilica.

Then we went back to our hotel and had some lunch (some leftover and a sandwich from a nearby take-out) and relaxed for a little while.

The we took the Metro to the Colosseum. Eileen had purchased tickets for the Colosseum and surrounding attractions). We walked around the Colosseum a bit at several levels and then went out to the Constantine Arch. Then we walked up to the Titus arch. Then around the Roman Forum. Then we walked up to the top of Palatine Hill. We could look down at Circus Maximus from there.

Colosseum from the second level.

Colosseum from the second level.

Colosseum from the second level.

Colosseum from ground level.

Colosseum from ground level.

A view of the Forum from the Colosseum. Center-right ahead is the Temple of Venus and Rome, thought to have been the largest temple in Ancient Rome. Finished in 141 CE.

A parting shot of the Colosseum.

Arch of Constantine. It was erected by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine I's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312. Dedicated in 315, it is the largest Roman triumphal arch.

Arch of Titus. It was constructed around 82 CE by the Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of his older brother Titus to commemorate Titus's victories, including the Siege of Jerusalem (70 CE).

The south panel depicts the spoils taken from the Temple in Jerusalem (70 CE). The golden candelabrum or Menorah is the main focus and is carved in deep relief. A replica hangs in the Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv (we saw it in 2000).

So many ruins. Here are two — Temple of Castor and Pollux (columns from first century) on the left, and the Temple of Vesta (source of the Vestal Virgins) on the right.

Temple of Antoninus and Faustian, 141 CE.

The Colosseum from the Temple of Jupiter and Rome across the street.

View from Palatine Hill — Circus Maximus — Anyone want to race?

View from Palatine Hill. There were lots more ruins up there, but this blog is getting long.

Then we took the Metro back to our hotel, went to a bar for a drink and snack. We relaxed for a couple of hours and then went to dinner at Il Ragno D’oro (the Golden Spider). Another 10 mile day.

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Dinner: Ragno D’Oro - Via Silla, 26, 00192 Roma, Italy

Eileen and Larry - 22-April-2016