Caroline_2

What an amazing cultural-filled day.

In Rome we caught the metro line to Vatican City (a centre of power for all Catholics all over the world) and spent the majority of the day soaking up the history and culture of Italy. Within the Vatican City we focused on St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.

We started our journey with the Vatican. Its sheer size was overwhelming. It is a whole different world here. They have their own post office, fire brigade, police service, supermarket, bank, railway station, electricity generating plant, and publishing house.

As we were wandering around this incredible place we found the Eagle Fountain and the Casina of Pius IV, a summerhouse in the Vatican Gardens. They were incredible, displaying unique architecture and style.

Next was St Peter’s Basilica, ornately decorated and certainly an experience which was truly unforgettable.

From the outside, standing within Piazza San Pietro, its façade drew our attention. So majestic in its appearance, supported by the obelisk erected in 1586, the façade was certainly a sight which no-one could go past.

Surrounded by Bernini's monumental colonnade, topped with statues of saints, we stood outside with amazement, and we were anxious as we anticipated what we were going to find inside this sacred building.

From the outside we knew Michelangelo’s dome was going to be magnificent. From the inside, it was a stunning sight. So carefully constructed and designed, it hypnotised us with its care and perfection.

The decorated walls and ceiling were so exquisite, it was almost unbelievable, and the experience was surreal. Pieta, the marble sculpture created by Michelangelo when he was only 25, captured our attention, as the delicate curves and the expressions on the peoples’ faces were so real and gripping.

Walking through the wide doorways and only hearing the sounds of peoples’ shoes and their whispers, created the sacred feeling of a blessed place. Every entrance, every column, every section of this beautiful basilica is covered with Italian art, history and culture.

The Sistine Chapel. Wow, what an amazing collection of frescoed history. Detailed and defined, the artworks cover the walls and ceiling, depicting images of the “Last Judgment”, “Temptations of Christ” and subjects from the Old and New Testaments. Again, history, art and culture displayed in such an overwhelming manner that I have certainly been touched by this experience.

Communicating with people in Rome was interesting. We took our Italian phrase translation book everywhere we went, and used it quite regularly. There were many people with a little bit of English, which helped us a lot, especially when we needed directions, instructions, or accessing services. They greeted and farewelled us with their common phrases, such as “Buon giorno” and “Arrivederci”, and we tried to return some of those gestures. We also made sure we used “Per fevore” and “Grazie” at every opportunity.

To view pictures of the Vatican City, St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel visit this website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-st-peters-basilica.htm http://www.wga.hu/tours/sistina/index.html