Visiting the Vatican Museums

Visiting the Vatican Museums Travelling to Rome and the Holy See: Why to Visit the Vatican’s Museums ChaptersThe Vatican Museums and Their CollectionsThe Vatican Museums: The Apostolic PalaceThe Vatican Museums: Art HistoryThe Bramante StaircaseVisiting the Vatican Museums for Archeological Sites“I've been to the Vatican more than anyplace else outside this country in the world. I am mesmerized by it.” - Rush LimbaughWhen you visit Rome, you pretty much have to visit the Vatican just like when you visit Paris, you have to see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.  The Vatican City, the world’s smallest sovereign state, is 0.44km2, home to 799 inhabitants, 3,000 foreign workers, and welcomes 5 to 6 million tourists.  In addition to the remains from the Roman Empire, there’s also Saint Peter’s Basilica, Saint Peter’s Square, and the Vatican Museums.  Here’s why you should visit the Vatican Museums. DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Vatican Museums and Their CollectionsThe Vatican Museums are famous for their incredible collections. This is one of the most important collections in the art world. There are over 2,000 years worth of art in the Vatican. (Source: DomyD)The Vatican is the home of the Holy See and Roman Catholic institutions.  While the Vatican as a state was only created on 11 February 1929, following the Lateran Treaty signed by Mussolini and Cardinal Gasparri. The Vatican has been the seat of the Papacy since the end of the Roman Empire under the reign of Emperor Constantine.Throughout the centuries, successive popes have collected works of art, paintings, frescoes, sculptures, and other objects from the Antiquity to the Modern Era.  Most of this was collected during the time of the Papal States (752-1870), lasting 13 centuries when the popes collected sacred and profane art from all over the world.The size of the galleries continued to increase over the centuries. Nowadays, the Vatican is home to masterpieces from ancient and modern civilisations covering miles of corridors.  All types of art and eras are represented.The Vatican Museums include 12 different mu seums that are visiting by up to 6 million tourists a year, making them the 4th most popular museums in the world.So why should you visit the Vatican museum?Firstly, for the incredible collections. The museum complex includes:The PinacothecaThe collection of modern religious artThe Pio Clementino MuseumThe Ethnological MuseumThe Gregorian Egyptian MuseumThe Gregorian Etruscan MuseumThe Gregorian Profane MuseumThe Christian MuseumThe Vatican Apostolic LibraryThe Carriage PavilionThe Chiaramonti MuseumThe Philatelic and Numismatic OfficeIn addition to museums, there are three chapels:The Sistine ChapelThe Pauline ChapelThe Niccolini ChapelThe Vatican is also, like large parts of Rome, home to plenty of Roman and Etruscan remains.Find out more about visiting the Vatican.The Vatican Museums: The Apostolic PalaceThe Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the popes from the return from exile in Avignon in 1377. Also known as the Palace of Sixtus V, the building was constructed in 1 589 and was home to residences for the pope as well as the pope’s private chapels.The building has 1,400 rooms across 55,000m2, making it the largest fully-inhabited palace in the world.  At the heart of the two chapels in the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and the Nicoline Chapel, the Raphael Rooms and the Borgia Apartment.The Sistine ChapelThe Sistine Chapel gets its name from Pope Sixtus IV (1414-1484) who restored the Capella Magna. The beautiful Renaissance frescoes are another reason to visit the Vatican. (Source: Trimlack)Built it in 1475, it was inaugurated on 15 August 1483 and altered several times afterwards.  It’s famous for its frescoes covering the life of Christ and Moses.  The most famous part of the building is the ceiling painted by Michaelangelo in 1508. There are 9 scenes from the Book of Genesis  divided into three groups: the origin of the universe, man, and evil.The Sistine Chapel is also visited for The Last Judgment by Michaelangelo.  This is where the cardinals also elect new popes. In addition to Michaelangelo’s masterpiece, there are also frescoes from Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, Biagio di Antonio, Bartolomeo della Gatta, Luca Signorelli, and Pier Matteo d’Amelia.Find out more about other things to do in the Vatican.The Nicoline ChapelLess famous, but just as ornate, the Nicoline Chapel is named for Pope Nicholas V (1397-1455).  The pai ntings and frescoes were made by Fra Angelico between 1447 and 1451 that show the lives of the Deacons Saint Stephen and Saint Laurent, linking the two saints’ cities of martyrdom, Jerusalem and Rome.The Raphael RoomsThe four Raphael Rooms are reception rooms in the papal apartments. The frescoes were painted by Raphael himself and are masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance.  Ordered by Pope Julius II in 1508, the frescoes are located on the second floor of the Apostolic Palace to the south of Cortile del Belvedere. DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalia n Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Vatican Museums: Art HistoryThe Vatican Museums are home to plenty of art from the Antiquity to today. It’s a great way to experience the history of art! In addition to paintings, the Vatican is also home to many impressive sculptures. (Source: DEZALB)The Gregorian Egyptian Museum, for example, is home to pieces from the Neolithic age to the age of the Roman Empire across six rooms.The Gregorian Etruscan Museum is home to objects found in archaeological digs from Etruria across 22 rooms. The works date from the 9th century BCE to the 1st century BCE.  Don’t miss Laocoon and His Sons in the Pio Clementino Museum.  The largest part of the Vatican Museums complex, there are 12 rooms with collections from the Greek and Roman Antiquity.  There’s the Apollo Belvedere, Hermes, and Laocoön.To learn even more about art history, head along to the Ethnological Museum. There are over 80,000 pieces from prehistory to now from all over the world.  There are objects from Asia, Africa, Australasia, Europe, and the Americas.The collection of modern religious art has 800 pieces from 250 different international artists including Rodin, van Gogh, Ga uguin, Kandinsky, Chagall, Otto Dix, Dali, and Picasso.You also need to visit the Pinacotheca.  Canvases date back to the 11th and 12 centuries. There are works from Giotto, Perugino, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Veronese, Poussin, and Caravaggio.Find out more about the history of the Vatican.The Bramante StaircaseHow can you visit the Vatican without seeing the Bramante Staircase?If you have the Omnia Vatican and Rome Card, you can visit the Vatican Museums. The Bramante Staircase is two staircases in one! (Source: WenPhotos)Wrongly attributed to Donato Bramante (1444-1514), the current double-spiral staircase was made in 1932.  There are two spiral staircases on top of one another with one for going upstairs and the other for going downstairs. You’ll never pass anyone on the staircase.  Despite how busy it is, there’s never any traffic.Pretty ingenious, isn’t it?Find out more about planning a trip to the Vatican.Visiting the Vatican Museums for Archeological SitesFinally, here’s our last good reason for visiting the Vatican Museums, archaeological treasures.  There are two archaeological sites from the Roman Empire:The Necropolis of the Via TriumphalisThe Excavations of St. John LateranThe Necropolis of the Via Triumphalis is a Roman cemetery with remains from the Antiquity. Under Roman law, cremation and burial within the city were illegal. Romans created “cities for the dead” outside cities known as a “Necropolis” from the Greek “necro” meaning “dead” and “polis” meaning “city”. The Necropolis of the Via Triumphalis allows you to discover how Romans honoured the dead.  Vatican Hill was a muddle of individual and collective graves and tombs. They’ve survived incredibly well over 2,000 years.Finally, in the Excavations of St. John Lateran, there are remains of buildings built before the current Saint Peter’s Basilica.  If you love ancient history and art, the Vatican’s the place to go.Before you go to the Vatican, consider learning some Italian. While Latin is also the official language of the Vatican, you'll get much farther with Italian. There are plenty of talented Italian tutors on Superprof who can help you with this.With three different types of tutorial available, face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials, each with their pros and cons, you need to carefully choose which one is right for you and your learning objectives.Face-to-face tutorials take pl ace with just you and the tutor. Your tutor will provide you with bespoke tuition and lessons that are tailored to you. Since this involves a lot of extra work for the tutor outside of the tutorials, you'll pay a premium for these types of tutorials. However, with the tutor's undivided attention, these tutorials are also the most cost-effective tuition you can get.Online tutorials come with a lot of the same benefits as face-to-face tutorials but your tutor won't be there in the room with you. While this works fine for academic subjects, these types of tutorials aren't always as effective for hands-on subjects. With fewer travel expenses, though, your tutor can charge less for the tutorials.Finally, group tutorials involve several students and one tutor. You won't get as much one-on-one time with your tutor but you won't pay as much per hour as the cost tutor's time is shared amongst all the students in the tutorial.

What is it Like to Attend University of Denver

What is it Like to Attend University of Denver The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Nadine is currently a sophomore at University of Denver majoring in Spanish and Communications. She specializes infirstgrade throughninthgrade Math tutoring, as well as English tutoringand Spanish tutoring. Check out what she had to say about University of Denver: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Nadine:The University of Denver campus is quite small, so transportation never seems to be an issue. I personally longboard around campus, and many of my friends bike, but you can get from one side of campus to the other with a 15-minute walk. Students are given free RTD passes, which enable us to use any form of city transportation (i.e. buses and the light rail), but it is honestly unnecessary unless you are living very far from campus. University of Denver is located on the outskirts of the city. It is a very safe campus, but a 15-minute light rail ride can take you right into the heart of Denver. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Nadine:The professors and advisers I have had so far have been very available. If you email with a question, they will undoubtedly respond within 24 hours. If you are looking to meet during hours outside of their normal office hours, they are more than willing to work with you and to find a time that suits you both. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Nadine:Although I currently live off-campus, I thoroughly enjoyed my dorm experience. I lived in a Living and Learning Community, which anyone is able to apply for, and that is where I met the majority of my friends here at University of Denver. Living in the dorms is a great way to socialize with new people, but there are also plenty of clubs and organizations that one can become involved withI have also made a large amount of friends through my club involvements. There are two main dining halls, which serve a variety of food, as well as a few other places to each at, such as Subway or the late-night pub. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Nadine:University of Denvers Daniels College of Business is by far the most represented and supported here; many students come here specifically to study Business. However, I am currently double-majoring in Spanish and Communications. I chose these two majors because I am genuinely interested in them, and I know that I will choose a more specific subject related to teaching when I get my Masters degree. Although the main focus is Business, University of Denver supports all majors, and it even has an opportunity where you can create your own. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Nadine:Because I was very involved in clubs, club sports, and my Living and Learning Community, it was very easy to meet new people and make new friends. I would say that as long as you are willing to put in the effort to try new things, you will be successful in finding compatible friends. About 20% of students at University of Denver are involved in Greek life. I have many friends who enjoy it, but I personally decided not to be a part of it, and I have never felt my social life has suffered because of that choice. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Nadine:Although I have limited experience with the Career Center, the few times that I have visited were very helpful. The counselor I met with provided me with advice on applying to certain internships, and she goes out of her way to inform me of company opportunities that I may be interested in. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Nadine:I spend a lot of time in our library, which was built about two years ago. The library is beautiful and very spacious. There are multiple floors with varying silence levels. During midterms and finals, the library becomes much more crowded than usual, but there is never a problem finding a quiet place to study and get work done. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Nadine:We are very fortunate to have Denver very close to our campus. It is a very unique and spacious city with a lot of opportunities. Some choose to go downtown for various reasons, but there are many choices around the general campus in terms of restaurants, bars, etc. If there is something you are looking for that is not near University of Denver, I am sure you will be able to find it with a quick ride on the light rail. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Nadine:The undergraduate population at University of Denver is around 5,500, which I believe is the perfect size. It is small enough where you are always running into someone you know, but also large enough where you are always meeting new people too. I have been very pleased with my class sizes so far. My largest class, which was a general science class, had about 60 students, and my smallest class had about 8. This year, my largest class has been about 25 students. I am very happy with the class sizes here. It was a large factor in picking University of Denver for my undergraduate education. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Nadine:For my Freshman Seminar Class, I took a course called Revolutions and Revolutionaries in Latin America, which I very much enjoyed. The professor was absolutely wonderful, and I learned a tremendous amount. One day in the spring, I was with a friend throwing a Frisbee around before our biology class, and my professor and his friend saw us and joined in. We played for about 15 minutes together, discussing random current events and joking around. I do not believe that at many schools I could have a close connection with a professor like this. I believe that the professors genuinely enjoy what they teach here, and it makes it much more enjoyable to be a student when the professor is passionate about what he or she is here for. Check out Nadines tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.