The Vatican & St. Peter's Basilica

 

 

It's not a terrific shot (above) because it was taken as I leaned over a railing, but wayyyy down at the end... that little dot in the light at the end of the tunnel...is one of the Swiss Vatican guards. (I just know you're impressed! LOL!)

Walkways & courtyards between the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's

 

 

 

 

 

Afternoon light streaming into St. Peter's

 

Michaelangelo's Pieta

 

 

 

 

To give perspective...the lettering around the perimeter is 6 feet tall!

 

 

 

 

Below: An interesting article~ http://catholicism.org/five-hundred-years-of-loyalty-the-gallantry-of-the-popes-swiss-guard.html

 

 

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Ceilings ...often the most neglected surface in a room!

But not in Europe!

 

If I went back through the two thousand pictures that we took on this trip I probably could find maybe 200 of them that were taken of the beautifully painted or adorned ceilings! Years ago when I worked on and designed a Greensboro clubhouse in the (then new) Ridgewood community I decided that one of the tray ceilings should have a painted design. Knowing I would never find an artist like Michelangelo to lie on his or her back for days upon days at a time I contracted with a very talented gal to take a large piece (12 x 14' if I remember correctly) of tent canvas & hang it on her studio wall. She then painted the mural and with the help of an excellent installer it was then attached to the ceiling using old fashioned wallpaper adhesive and edge molding. I don't remember the name of this talented gal but this started a time in my design career when I never neglected ceilings... That installer began to hate me because people all over Greensboro would be calling him (Jack....as in Jack Greene) and mimicking what they saw and want their ceilings wallpapered! His neck really killed him! In more recent years Tana Naylor Mills has been painting some amazing faux finishes and murals for us at SSI. She too has a massage therapist on call when she finishes such a project!

http://www.chicgeekdesigns.com/painted-ceilings/

So it's only natural that I was fascinated by the ceilings everywhere in Europe that had been painted by our world's most talented artists! In looking through our pictures I realized how many I have of ceilings and thought they deserved their very own blog post! While most are painted some show the magnificent use of moldings, plaster reliefs and mosaics. Be inspired! What ceiling in your house are you ignoring? Yours might not be curved or surrounded by beautiful columns but they could be made more beautiful just by adding a different paint color or a faux finish like the bedroom picture above. (Okay, end of Decorating 102).

 

 

Back to the Vatican Museum's ceilings....

 

 

 

 

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Rome's Amazing Vatican Museum, Part Two

More pics from The Vatican Museum...

THE POPE'S SECRET GARDEN

This beautiful courtyard located in between the museum building wings was only recently opened up to the public by the new pope...Pope Francis... beautiful, serene and previously reserved only for his visitors...

http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intricate mosaics done in gold & beautiful colors adorn the building exteriors!

 

 

 

 

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Rome's Amazing Vatican Museum, Part One

The huge Vatican Complex

We had the foresight to purchase a Vatican tour online before we left the states which was one of the smartest things we did in Rome. The Vatican, it's museum, The Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica is obviously a huge attraction and having Francesco as our guide really helped us get a great overview of this fabulous place in 3.5 hours. We were part of a small group of maybe 16 or 18 people and he really cut to the chase and highlighted the most important aspects. His English was flawless and we loved how he moved us through the crowds with "Quickly, quickly, quickly" as he bee-lined to an important exhibit or painting that we just shouldn't miss! (Eros "Francesco" Giansanti +39.335.52.75.267 Email: erosgiansanti@katamail.com.)

Pope John Paul