Vatican. A recollection of a visit to the museums

 I recently looked through my archive photos of the Vatican, remembered and decided to tell about the Vatican Museums.

The Vatican Museums are a monument of world culture. What began as a small collection of sculptures has grown over time into the largest museum complex. It should be noted that you cannot get into the museums just by coming to the opening. All those who wish to order and buy tickets in advance and for a specific day and time. I ordered tickets and was looking forward to the day of the visit.

 

The Vatican Museums were founded in the 18th century and later opened opened art collections to the public with the aim of cultural education of the people.

Entrance to the museums

 

Gardens of Vatican

I began my visit to the Vatican Museums by exploring the extensive collection of Greek and Roman ancient art. Among the most famous sculptures are the statues of Laocoon, Apollo. Most of the statues were found in Rome or its surroundings. The Hall of the Muses (Sala delle Muse) is decorated with frescoes depicting Apollo and the Muses. There are several sculptures of the Muses, their leader Apollo, Athena, Hermes, and just human figures.

 

 

Nearby is the Round Hall (Sala Rotonda). Its floor is covered with Roman mosaics from the early 3rd century AD depicting sea, moon, sun and mythical heroes.

I liked the Gallery of Statues (Galleria delle Statue) with the enchanting sculpture of Sleeping Arianna (Arianna Addormentata). Because of the snake-shaped decoration on her arm, many believed that this was Cleopatra, who committed suicide by letting herself be bitten by a viper. However, in 700, she was recognized as Arianna, princess of Crete and daughter of King Minos, who slept on the island of Nassau.

The western wing of the museum is occupied by three galleries.
The long gallery, about 300 m long, was designed by Bramante in 1507 and decorated by Antonio Canova. 

Here is the Vatican Picture Gallery (Pinacoteca Vaticana). Paintings from the 12th to the 19th centuries hang in 16 rooms. Most of them are works by Italian masters. Pictures of interest are by Da Vinci, by Titian, Federico Barocci, Caravaggio.

 
Here is also the Gallery of Candelabra (Galleria dei Candelabri) - about 80 m long, decorated with Greek and Roman sculptures.
The second is the Gallery of Tapestries (Galleria degli Arazzi) with tapestries from the 17th century. 

 

There are also tapestries made in Brussels based on sketches by Raphael and his students.

 

 

Another gallery, 175 m, is the Gallery of Geographical Maps (Galleria delle Carte Geografiche). The walls of this gallery are covered with large drawings of maps created by Antonio Danti in 1580-1583. The maps depicted cities in Italy, islands in the Mediterranean, and papal territories. Unfortunately, I did not quite understand the maps on the walls, as the outlines of the continents did not correspond to reality.

As I walked through these galleries, I kept looking up to see the scenes of the frescoes on the ceiling, the paintings on the walls telling the events that took place in those days.

Raphael's Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello).

The Raphael Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello) display paintings that he worked on from 1512 onward. When Raphael died in 1520, he was only 37 years old, without having completed the painting of the papal apartments; his students completed the work based on his drawings. These frescoes are considered absolute masterpieces of Renaissance art.

 

I finished my acquaintance with the Vatican Museums in St. Peter's Basilica. This is a majestic cathedral, is a major pilgrimage site. Frequently drawing crowds of tens of thousands of Catholics, both the basilica and its adjoining St. Peter’s Square are used for a number of liturgies presided over by the pope throughout the year. 

 

I will talk you about St. Peter's Basilica in another post.

All the best, my friends. 

My video: Villa Torlonia, Rome

Gooseberry Bush

In August there was a good harvest of gooseberries in the garden. There are thorns on the bush, and I tried not to hurt my hands, I usually wore a blouse with long sleeves. I try to lift the branch with my left hand and collect the gooseberries with my right. This way the branches prick less.

Maybe someone does not know this plant, so I want to tell you. Gooseberry is a small shrub up to 1-1.2 m high, the branches are grayish, covered with thin needle-like thorns. The fruits are berries, oval or spherical, up to 12 mm long (sometimes up to 30-40 mm), bristly. Green, yellow or dark red. Ripen in July–August.

 

Gooseberries are native to Western Europe and northern Africa. As a wild plant, it is widespread in Central and Southern Europe, North Africa and North America. It grows among bushes on rocky mountain slopes. It is grown everywhere in gardens.

 

 

The common gooseberry is one of the main berry bushes. I like to eat them fresh or use them to make jam, jelly, marmalade, and some people make wine from gooseberries. I also freeze gooseberries and they retain most of the vitamins. This is a good preparation for the winter.

When I pick gooseberries, I determine how ripe the gooseberries are, so I squeeze the berries. The ideal berry is not too hard, but retains its shape and elasticity. I have bushes growing with small red and yellow gooseberries. Small berries ripen earlier.

 

Currently, at least 1,500 varieties of gooseberries are known, which are cultivated in all temperate countries. Unfortunately, gooseberries are often attacked by pests.

Do you like to eat gooseberries? Have you grown this bush?

 

My video. Park roses:

 

 

Fruit And Flowers

 

Summer is ending. How sad :(  Flowers at the end of August - September are already different. Delphiniums, daisies, nasturtiums, gladiolus, lilies, clematis etc. have finished blooming. 

It's time for marigolds (tagetes).

It's amazing how marigolds withstand heavy rains! Their strong stems do not sway, do not bend. Dense ornamental leaves and branches are tightly closed and hold each other.

 

On the other hand, the end of summer is a delicious time, apples, plums, pears, veggies ripen. Perhaps in your climate these fruit have long been on your table. Now is the most fruitful time in our northern climate. 

 

I decided to grow this apple tree, attached its branches horizontally. At first, the tree did not like it and there were few apples. Now most apples ripen on horizontal branches. The apple seeds have turned dark and I will pick the fruit.

Insects like the bright flowers of marigolds. Many bumblebees, wasps, bees and butterflies collect nectar from the flowers.

The berries on the viburnum are ripening. I wrote about it here. The berries are turning red and filling with juice. I tried several berries - they still have a bitterness that will disappear after the cold weather.

 

 

 

The tomatoes and peppers are all picked. Every day there are fresh vegetables and greens on the table. I will make a seasoning with tomatoes, basil, black pepper and mint. It will not be too hot.

 

I picked and then will put the green peppers in a dark place so that they ripen and turn red. The peppers could not be left on the plants because of the cold nights that came after the end of August.

This yellow plant is called Ligularia variety 'Othello'. It loves shady places in the garden and blooms in the fall. This bright plant attracts insects.

There are few plums on the tree this summer. Because it got cold in the spring when it bloomed. Plums are all very sweet and will be eaten quickly.

 

I am finishing the story about my garden in September and I hope that the next year will give me a lot of harvest and joy. Nature is generous and does not forget about gardeners.

I wish all the best to you!

Park poses: