Semi-Private Tours Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica

The Vatican Museums are defined in the plural because they are actually made up of a collection of museums and collections. The preserved works range from ancient Greeks, Etruscans, Romans and Egyptians, to collections of a religious nature, to ancient and modern paintings. As well as numismatic and philatelic collections, ancient books, tapestries, carriages, and much more. The ancient statuary features works that we find on all the history books, such as the Augustus of Prima Porta and the Apollo del Belvedere, considered the expression of the canons of male beauty, and the Torso del Belvedere, the great work of inspiration of the great Michelangelo. But how not to mention the Sala della Biga, with the marvelous sculpture that seems to have to be animated at any moment. In the art galleries there are works by artists who have made art history, such as Giotto, Leonardo, Raffaello and Caravaggio. But also Francis Bacon, Carlo Carrà, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Giorgio De Chirico, Matisse, Van Gogh and many other exponents of modern art. The famous rooms of Raphael are only the best known among the many frescoed rooms that will make you remain enraptured by so much wonder. Also famous are the chapels of the Vatican Museums, including the famous Sistine Chapel, frescoed by the great Michelangelo Buonarroti. His Last Judgment and the Stories of Genesis are the destination of thousands of visitors each year, who remain enchanted and admired by this prodigy.

The Sistine Chapel is certainly the most famous artistic and cultural treasure in the world. It is famous both for the incredible frescoes by Michelangelo, and for being the place where the Conclave takes place, the assembly of Cardinals that elects the new Pope. The vault of the Chapel is decorated by the famous cycle of frescoes by Michelangelo Buonarroti dedicated to the Stories of Genesis and is considered one of the most important masterpieces of Western art. The back wall is occupied by the majestic Universal Judgment, also by Michelangelo. A truly grandiose work, populated by hundreds of moving characters, in the chaos and anguish generated by the uncertainty of their destination. This work, which we consider an absolute masterpiece, has not always been considered as such: often it has been accused of obscenity and has even run the risk of being canceled. He had to undergo the coverage of some nudes, considered particularly scandalous, with the famous "braghe".