StPeter's dome and the StMaria del Popolo church
Church hopping was the main activity of these last days. Well, yes we only got to see 2 churches, but it was only because the heavy rain yesterday stopped us from seeing more.
So on Friday we visited the Dome of StPeter's basilica. You are faced with a great dilemma at the entrance: pay 7€ and take the elevator till half way, or pay 4€ and walk all the stairs (in total over 500) till the very top? Well of course being young and in a good day (meaning not too lazy day), we thought we'd rather walk up, and with the money saved buy some good ice-cream afterwards.
The walk up was long and hot, and the second part has very narrow passages and winding staircases which I don't like at all. You first get inside the dome, and can see all the visitors down by the altar, it's very impressive. That's when you realize the inside of the dome is actually not painted but all made of mosaics. Then you go on up, inside the roof, following the curing structure of the dome, meaning the walls aren't straight and you better not be too wide.
Once you arrive on top, all of this is forgotten, as in any tower-climbing. The view is definitely the best of Rome and worth it, you can see all the main buildings of the town and by clear wather the mountains in the very far back.
The church we visited yesterday, StMaria del Popolo, is a medium sized church (well for Rome, but it's actually not that small) with the particularity of having lots of old tombs on the pavement, worn off by centuries of people walking on it. It also is, for those who read Angels and Demons, the church where one of the cardinal gets murdered (earth). That's the picture with the angel pointing to the next clue.
Inside the StMaria del Popolo church, Chigi chapel
Inside the StMaria del Popolo church, skeleton
At the foot of the dome (half-ways down), a souvenir shop
The statues overlooking StPeter's square
The Vatican gardens
StPeter's square seen from the Dome
So on Friday we visited the Dome of StPeter's basilica. You are faced with a great dilemma at the entrance: pay 7€ and take the elevator till half way, or pay 4€ and walk all the stairs (in total over 500) till the very top? Well of course being young and in a good day (meaning not too lazy day), we thought we'd rather walk up, and with the money saved buy some good ice-cream afterwards.
The walk up was long and hot, and the second part has very narrow passages and winding staircases which I don't like at all. You first get inside the dome, and can see all the visitors down by the altar, it's very impressive. That's when you realize the inside of the dome is actually not painted but all made of mosaics. Then you go on up, inside the roof, following the curing structure of the dome, meaning the walls aren't straight and you better not be too wide.
Once you arrive on top, all of this is forgotten, as in any tower-climbing. The view is definitely the best of Rome and worth it, you can see all the main buildings of the town and by clear wather the mountains in the very far back.
The church we visited yesterday, StMaria del Popolo, is a medium sized church (well for Rome, but it's actually not that small) with the particularity of having lots of old tombs on the pavement, worn off by centuries of people walking on it. It also is, for those who read Angels and Demons, the church where one of the cardinal gets murdered (earth). That's the picture with the angel pointing to the next clue.
Inside the StMaria del Popolo church, Chigi chapel
Inside the StMaria del Popolo church, skeleton
At the foot of the dome (half-ways down), a souvenir shop
The statues overlooking StPeter's square
The Vatican gardens
StPeter's square seen from the Dome
posted by Jo at 9:26 AM
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