Vaticano and the Basilico

Today I went to Vatican City! It was cool enough of a city since it's walled and they have their own currency but the coolest part was the Basilico. My goodness what a cathedral. If you want to be practically mesmerized this is the place to knock your socks off. It's both glorious and beautiful. The Oratoire St. Joseph is nothing compared to this.

I climbed all the way to the top. It took forever and I was really dizzy from walking up the spiral stairs but in the end it was really rewarding. The view of Rome is phenomenal. Rome looks uptop just like it does in all the illustrated ancient Rome books I use to read back in the day as a kid.

The Basilico is huge and beautifuly ornated. The frescos are made with tiny pieces of ceramic, glass and gold paint. Thus, giving off an illuminated effect. The mosaics even showed degradation and shadowing. The paintings and statues were immense. I wonder how long the whole process of making this church was. I'll have to get back to you folks on that one. But I'm guessing, a really long time.

But the part that stunned me that most and humbled me was when I saw Michelangelos' Buonarroti (Saint Mary holding the decieved Christ). The statue is of a medium size but is encased in glass. I have never seen a more intricate and polished statue in my entire life. I now understand why it is one of the most famous pieces of art on our planet.

I also saw loads of monks and nuns, in case you were wondering...