Gallery of Maps
The decorations on the vaulted ceiling is the work of a group of Mannerist artists (such as Cesare Nebbia and Girolamo Muziano). 
The Gallery of Maps is situated at the west side of the Belvedere Courtyard. It is 120 m long. It took Ignazio Danti three years (1580–1583) to complete the 40 panels. 
Topographical maps of the whole of Italy, painted on the walls by friar Ignazio Danti of Perugia, commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII (1572–1585). It may not be tough to produce such a world map, or even better ones these days. But to think back in time...how would you be able to draw them without any assistance of the advanced science technology?
We finally coming to the end of the Vatican Museum and soon we will be heading for the Raphael Rooms...
I just like to stare up at the ceilings of the European churches and museums...they are amazing!
Looking out the passage to the Raphael Rooms...the courtyard of Vatican Museum is probably the only place you don't get to see the huge crowd around.
At last...the Raphael Rooms!
The four Stanze di Raffaello ("Raphael's rooms") in the Palace of the Vatican form a suite of reception rooms, the public part of the papal apartments. They are famous for their frescoes, painted by Raphael and his workshop. Together with Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, these are the grand fresco sequences that mark the High Renaissance in Rome.
The Stanze, as they are invariably called, were originally intended as a suite of apartments for Pope Julius II. He commissioned Raphael, at the time a relatively young artist from Urbino, and his studio in 1508 or 1509 to redecorate the existing interiors of the rooms entirely. It was possibly Julius' intent to outshine the apartments of his predecessor (and rival) Pope Alexander VI, as the Stanze are directly above Alexander's Borgia Apartment. They are on the third floor, overlooking the south side of the Belvedere Courtyard.
Ceiling fresco from the Stanza della Segnatura
Every part of the Stanze are paintings after paintings...best is to surf the net if you want to know more about them as it is hard to tell the difference there -- they are all amazing. Every picture there tells a story from the bible too, some being factual while others are under the imagination of the painters.
Don't remember what room this is but it is rather the most spacious hall there...most likely to be used in the past for functional purpose and some of the important ceremonies.
Raphael Rooms are linked to the Sistine Chapel by a long staircase and corridor. A few more sculptures created in the modern times can be found here.
Leading down this staircase is to the piazza outside the St. Peter's Basilica where the Pope will be at if there is an event. It looks formal, mysterious...and even a little kind of spooky...hee...lol
We finally coming to the end of the Vatican Museum and soon we will be heading for the Raphael Rooms...I just like to stare up at the ceilings of the European churches and museums...they are amazing!Looking out the passage to the Raphael Rooms...the courtyard of Vatican Museum is probably the only place you don't get to see the huge crowd around.At last...the Raphael Rooms!The four Stanze di Raffaello ("Raphael's rooms") in the Palace of the Vatican form a suite of reception rooms, the public part of the papal apartments. They are famous for their frescoes, painted by Raphael and his workshop. Together with Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, these are the grand fresco sequences that mark the High Renaissance in Rome.The Stanze, as they are invariably called, were originally intended as a suite of apartments for Pope Julius II. He commissioned Raphael, at the time a relatively young artist from Urbino, and his studio in 1508 or 1509 to redecorate the existing interiors of the rooms entirely. It was possibly Julius' intent to outshine the apartments of his predecessor (and rival) Pope Alexander VI, as the Stanze are directly above Alexander's Borgia Apartment. They are on the third floor, overlooking the south side of the Belvedere Courtyard.Ceiling fresco from the Stanza della SegnaturaEvery part of the Stanze are paintings after paintings...best is to surf the net if you want to know more about them as it is hard to tell the difference there -- they are all amazing. Every picture there tells a story from the bible too, some being factual while others are under the imagination of the painters.Don't remember what room this is but it is rather the most spacious hall there...most likely to be used in the past for functional purpose and some of the important ceremonies.Raphael Rooms are linked to the Sistine Chapel by a long staircase and corridor. A few more sculptures created in the modern times can be found here.Leading down this staircase is to the piazza outside the St. Peter's Basilica where the Pope will be at if there is an event. It looks formal, mysterious...and even a little kind of spooky...hee...lol
And here we are...the SISTINE CHAPEL!
[The two photographs (above & below) are totally restricted.]
I took them at risk because photo taking is strictly not allowed inside the Sistine Chapel. But I admit I give in to that temptation as I saw many others doing the same thing inside the crowded room. It is also used to be one of my dream to come to Sistine Chapel because the two things:
- Sistine Chapel ceilings where the most famous picture (above, centre):
"The Creation of Adam".
The Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, is one of the most renowned artworks of the High Renaissance. As a Christian, it is one place you certainly doesn't want to miss. Why?
The subject matter of the ceiling is the doctrine of humanity's need for Salvation as offered by God through Jesus.
In other words, the ceiling illustrates that God made the World as a perfect creation and put humanity into it, humanity fell into disgrace and was punished by death, and by separation
from God. God sent Prophets and Sybils to tell humanity that the Saviour or Christ, Jesus would bring them redemption. God prepared a lineage of people, all the way from Adam, through various characters written of in the Old Testament, such as King David, to the Virgin Mary through whom the Saviour of humanity, Jesus, would come. The various components of the ceiling are linked to this doctrine.
Even if you don't know the stories in the Bible, you will have a slight knowledge of it just by looking up at the ceiling here...WOW...
2. The Last Judgment (Michelangelo)
The Last Judgment is a mural by Michelangelo on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. It took six years to complete. Michelangelo began working on it three decades after finishing the ceiling of the chapel.
The Last Judgment is a depiction of the second coming of Christ and the apocalypse. The souls of humans rise and descend to their fates, as judged by Christ and his Saintly entourage.
Whether if the real judgment will look like what Michelangelo has protraited here, I believe one day this will come true for all of us. Looking at this painting, sometimes I wonder what Jesus will think of when he sees this...would he be smiling and laughing up there? Or would he give a pat on our shoulders and tell us how the real one is going to be like and remind us once again that we should be prepared and ready for the second coming of Christ?
I believe the Last Judgment on the wall is true to a certain degree...do you? :)
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