The Vatican is one of the most unique states in the world. Its secrets, its history, its income, its luxury and beauty – all this remains out of the focus of cameras and out of the eyes of the general public. Only a few halls are opened to the world, flooded with the luxury of high culture and the gold of light. Such halls are the premises of the Vatican Museums, which have a fairly wide profile. But even acquaintance with such a “fragmented” splendor is already admirable.

Pius Clementine Museum

Undoubtedly, one of the most striking components of the Vatican complex is the Pius Clementine Museum. Initially, it was created as a place to store a number of artifacts representing the Greek and Roman cultures. The first collections were successfully placed on the territory of the orange courtyard that adorned the Belvedere Palace. However, the number of exhibits grew rapidly, and it was decided to create new “niches” for the most significant works of art. So, today the niches of Hermes, Apollo, Laocoon, Perseus and some others are open.

In addition to sculptures of gods and heroes of the Ancient World, there is also one of the richest collections of sculptural images of animals in the world practice. In the Rotunda Hall, the brilliance of the Golden House of Nero is recreated in creative processing within the framework of ideal classicism. Particular attention should be paid to the floor of this room: it is lined with authentic Roman mosaics, forever capturing the military prowess of the Greeks. Another hall is subordinated to the Egyptian theme: sarcophagi, frescoes, mosaics, statues of the third century and other objects of history and art.

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Chiaramonti Museum

Its founder was Pope Pius VII, who came from the Chiaramonti family. The collection of the museum includes reliefs, bas-reliefs, samples of portrait sculpture related to the classical culture of Greece and Rome. The first thing that catches your eye is the corridor, which is a colossal arched gallery, divided into sixty independent sections. The most significant artifact – from a historical point of view – is the statue of Athena, or rather the head of Athena, of unprecedented size for that period. The complex of this museum includes three buildings. The Chiaramonti Gallery itself, which is the most ancient part of the museum. The masters of the Academy named after St. Luke worked on its design.

The main decorator was the notorious Antonio Canova. Braccio Nuovo, meaning “new sleeve”, is a relatively new section that houses exhibits representing the history of Rome and the mythology of Greece. It is here that the largest collection of portrait sculpture is located. A visit to the Lapidarium gallery today is carried out only on special request, since truly unique inscriptions from the pre-Christian and Christian periods are stored here, which are one of the most significant historical sources.

Gregorian Museum of Secular Art

The founding of the museum dates back to the middle of the nineteenth century. At that time, his expositions were in the Lateran Palace. The basis of the collections were exhibits of a secular nature, which were discovered during excavations in the early nineteenth century. After moving to a new building, this component of the Vatican complex was open to the general public. Among the most valuable treasures stand out the statue of Sophocles – a brilliant copy of the bronze original of Greek origin, the statue of Neptune – a Roman tracing paper on a similar Greek statue, the heads of Athena – a number of copies of Roman masters who took the work of Myron as a basis. It is also worth paying attention to the impressive number of sarcophagi, decorated with images of gods and heroes of antiquity, as well as miraculously surviving fragments of the Parthenon. Another interesting addition was the mosaics,

Gregorian Etruscan Museum

The real pride of Rome can be considered the legacy of the Etruscans, a great civilization whose dawn came in the eighth century BC. It was they who created the foundations for the further development of ancient Roman culture. Today, household items of ancient people and the pearls of their cultural heritage are stored in the former palace of Innocent III. The foundations of the collection were artifacts found in the middle of the nineteenth century during excavations of settlements in the south of the country. Subsequently, artifacts from the excavations at Sorbo were added here, basically completing the formation of the museum fund. At the moment, guests can visit twenty-two themed rooms.

Some of them are formed chronologically, for example, the Archaic Hall or the Bronze Hall. In others, certain aspects of the life of the Etruscans were recreated. So, today the halls are open, repeating the entourage of Etruscan temples, tombs and treasuries. Many truly unique finds are kept here, such as a mirror with the face of a goddess on its surface, ancient oil lamps, numerous vessels for storing incense, as well as skillfully made glassware.

Gregorian Egyptian Museum

This component of the Vatican complex was opened in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. The name of the museum retains the name of its founder, Pope Gregory XVI, however, in fact, the first drafts of the collections appeared under Pius VII. Egyptian culture is in many ways a reference, and therefore it is not surprising that samples of the works of the great masters of Egypt were under the protection of the Vatican. These are various death masks that were created for the pharaohs, and skillful busts, and numerous sculptures. To date, nine halls are open to the public.

In addition to household items of the ancient Egyptians and various attributes that accompanied funeral ceremonies, mummies of some pharaohs and steles with hieroglyphs are also kept here. A number of rooms are dedicated to finds illustrating the life of ancient Syria and Mesopotamia, whose civilizations were not much inferior to the Egyptian. In addition, it is here that there is a unique collection of ancient ceramics of the Christian and Islamic traditions, also found in Egypt.

Art Gallery (Pinacotheque)

Initially, the Pinakothek meant a certain collection of paintings that were donated to the glory of the goddess Athena. A little later, they began to call the premises in which samples of fine art were stored. A similar interpretation refers to the ancient Roman period. During the Renaissance, Pinakotheks began to be called collections of paintings available for public viewing. The modern Vatican Pinakothek appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century to become one of the largest galleries of religious painting. Here are collected the works of the greatest Italian masters, from Giotto to the works of Crespi.

In the halls, in strict chronological order, there are canvases and mosaics that consistently represent the art of the periods of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque and some others. Some world-renowned artists will be familiar to the general public, such as Raphael, Cavaraggio, Titian, Leonardo da Vinci. Some others, less well-known outside of Italy, will help to take a different look at religious painting. These are the works of such artists as Giotto, Ange, Criveli, Bernini.

Pio Cristiano Museum

The collections of this museum are collected at the expense of artifacts of the early Christian period, that is, they were all created in the interval from the second to the fourth centuries of our era. Most of them were found during excavations in the Roman catacombs. The earliest collections were located in the Lateran Basilica, however, they were then transferred to the Vatican. The exhibition opened only towards the end of the twentieth century. Basically, the museum presents a variety of sarcophagi, which are decorated with various bas-reliefs, as well as drawings on antique themes. All of them are arranged in chronological order, and also grouped according to the principle of iconographic plots.

Almost all the drawings are excellently preserved and have not lost their aesthetic appeal, despite their more than respectable age. One of the most significant exhibits is the sarcophagus of the Good Shepherd, which was supposedly created in the fourth century. The authentic appearance has not been fully preserved – the sarcophagus, which is presented to the public today, is a version restored in the eighteenth century.

Ethnological Missionary Museum

The Lateran Palace at different times became a haven for all sorts of institutions one way or another connected with the world of creativity. The Ethnological Missionary Museum was no exception, which was originally located under its ancient vaults, and then was transferred directly to the Vatican, where a new building was built to store and display the collections. If the first versions of the collections contained about forty thousand artifacts, today their number has already managed to exceed one hundred thousand objects that are collected from all over the world. The focus is on religious cults of various kinds. These are both long-extinct cults and cults that have only recently begun to gain strength.

Artifacts from Japan, China, India, Korea, Tibet, Mongolia, various African countries and even Oceania are collected here. Museum guests will be able to get acquainted with the specific features of various nationalities. The vaults are of particular interest to scientists and specialists who can visit the halls containing cult objects.

Vatican Library

The library, called the Apostolic, is perhaps the most important component of the Vatican museum complex. This citadel of knowledge contains books dating back to the early Middle Ages, numerous manuscripts and unique manuscripts. The library was founded in the Middle Ages, but its funds continue to grow today. In addition to handwritten and printed sources, there are also numerous maps, an impressive collection of inculabula, coins and medals. Unfortunately or fortunately, but for most tourists only a small part of the premises is open.

However, it is unlikely that the general public would be able to appreciate the treatises in classical Latin, but it is much easier to appreciate the richness of the design – for this, many people visit the Library of the capital of Christendom. Frescoes of amazing beauty were created only by the most worthy masters of their craft. Scholars and students visiting this institution as part of their research work can see a wider range of exhibits. According to the legends, the Library actually has a system of passages and secret rooms in which manuscripts are stored containing answers to the most tricky questions of the universe.

Historical Museum

It is really difficult to get into this unique building, as there is a clear regulation according to which the number of visitors cannot exceed forty people. But the battle for the ticket will be worth it. The richest decor, bright exhibits, documents, icons, uniforms, photographs, household items, saddles, palanquins and even carriages – all these items help to more fully immerse yourself in the proposed historical era. All the popes in the intricacies of political and interpersonal strife will be before the eyes of visitors.

A talented guide will tell you how, how and why the pontiffs of all times lived. Perhaps the most unusual are the following exhibits: the front carriage belonging to Leo XII (this was the carriage used by the Popes for almost a hundred years), the first locomotive of the Vatican, dating from the beginning of the twentieth century, as well as the Popemobile, a kind of means of transportation used by the Popes in case of need public trips.

Arazzi Gallery

This gallery is considered one of the three main galleries located on the territory of the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. It was opened in the last quarter of the sixteenth century. The main architect of this amazing building was Macerino. Here are tapestries depicting biblical scenes, as well as scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The sizes of man-made canvases are amazing. Only ten tapestries were able to fit on a hundred meters of the gallery, but their value is undeniable. Most of the plots are based on sketches and works of numerous students of Rafael Santi.

The almost undisguised hostility that the master showed towards those who tried to compare his work with the paintings of Michelangelo is authentically known. That is why these tapestries clearly read his corporate style with exaggeratedly large figures in comparison with the landscape, deliberate emphasis on individual gestures and details, and a subtle play of accents. The tapestries were created by Flemish craftsmen from the Piotr van Elst manufactory. Initially, these tapestries were kept near the frescoes of Raphael in the Sistine Chapel, however, they were later transferred to the Arazzi Gallery to appear before a wider public. The thinnest silk and wool, the viscous twilight of the rooms, the quiet voices of the guides – it seems as if the colorful figures come to life and gaze intently at the guests of these vaults.

Map Gallery

The triad of galleries of the Apostolic Palace also includes a gallery of geographical maps. It took almost two years to create the gallery. The famous sixteenth-century master Ottoviano Mascherino, who at that time held the post of architect of the Papal Palace, was responsible for the architectural component of the work. On his initiative, the western wing of the Belvedere was expanded – almost by one floor. But the work done was necessary. More than a hundred meters of the corridor were painted from floor to ceiling with topographic maps of Italy. The early age of the papacy was reflected on the walls and ceilings, clearly delimiting the Papal lands and the main city-states of Italy, which at that moment continued to wage open or barely noticeable wars to ordinary people.

In addition to purely geographical data, here you can see numerous references to historical events that took place at that time. Images of mythological characters, scary sea monsters, heroes and beautiful ladies bloom on the stone. The masters did not forget about the pearls of the architectural world – the most significant places of their era also appeared on the walls. It is noteworthy that the hall is divided into seventeen sections. Naturally, the geography of Italy is divided into two components: one is washed by the gentle waters of the Andriatic, the second – by the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas. And above all these are the Apostles and Saints, scenes from the Old Testament are unfolding.

Apartments Borgia

These apartments belong to perhaps the most infamous Pope – Alexander VI, who bore the name of Borgia. He and his family – the Spaniards on the Italian throne – have gone down in history for a long time with their exorbitant ambitions and methods far from righteousness. Therefore, it is not surprising that even after the death of Alexander VI, the subsequent vicars of Christ were in no hurry to occupy the richly decorated rooms, turning them into a museum. Master Pinturicchio and the artists who were his students worked on the painting of the Pope's private apartments. The halls that are located today in this unique museum are named after the main motives of the paintings.

So, you can visit the Hall of the Sacraments of Faith, which depicts the main Christian sacraments; the Hall of the Sibyls and the Prophets, decorated with images of the seven planets known at that time (it was here that the Pope's eldest son, Cesare Borgia, ordered the murder of his beautiful sister's husband); the Hall of Saints, almost completely decorated personally by Pinturicchio; the Hall of the Pontiffs, which previously kept portrait images of the Popes, which, however, have not survived to this day; Hall of miracles of faith with sketches of the main religious festivals; as well as the Hall of Sciences, which is painted with paraphernalia of the free arts, sometimes depicted in an anthropomorphic form.

Stanza Raphael

Regrettably, the need for Raphael's stanzas arose after the death of Pope Alexander VI Borgia. Hatred on the part of the curia reached its climax, and the next Pope, Julius II, refused to live in the Borgia apartments. To decorate the new chambers, they invited the young master Raphael, who recently turned twenty-five years old. He decorated the rooms with his students, filling each of the walls with frescoes that adorned them from floor to ceiling. Four rooms were decorated, however, the last of them is less known, since it was completed by the master's students after his death.

Stanza dela Senyatura – the study of the Pope, causes the most delight. The main theme of the paintings is the mental activity of man. The most famous is the brilliant fresco “The School of Athens“, which is considered perhaps the most striking example of Renaissance art. In the center of the composition are Aristotle and Plato, representing the materialistic and idealistic directions of philosophical thought, and outstanding thinkers of their time are located around.

Loggias of Raphael

This cultural monument belongs to the period of the High Renaissance, when the art of Roman classicism reached its peak. The architect Bramante developed a project for a loggia, from which an impressive view of the blooming Eternal City was supposed to open, and embodied it with brilliance. Rafael Santi, the main decorator of this monument, was a close relative of Bramante, and it was he who took up the design of his creation. Pilasters, vaults, walls – all this was painted by Raphael himself and his students. It is noteworthy that his corporate style is not felt in the design.

Numerous ornaments and repetitive elements were inspired by the grotesques that adorned the Golden House in Rome. In total, more than fifty compositional elements of the painting were created. All of them form a single composition and are subject to a single plan. So, the loggias of Raphael also call it the Bible.