There are a few places where the floors, ceilings, and even the walls can be just as fascinating as the pieces of art or furniture that are in them. The Vatican Museums are definitely such a place where no matter which way you look there seem to be beautiful geometric patterns or murals painted directly onto the ceiling. Obviously there is the Sistine Chapel, but just within the Vatican Museums themselves there is much to see beyond the famous artwork that is housed there. There are certainly many other palaces that we’ve visited that have very ornate floors and ceilings, but these are definitely some of the most interesting and beautiful. It isn’t often that you find yourself taking photographs of a floor, but just because it is beneath your feet doesn’t mean it can’t be art. It is certainly a reminder to not only look left and right, but to also look up and down as well.
Individual Art Combining to a Cohesive CeilingLooking Up at a DomeEvery Hallway’s Ceiling is UniqueBeautiful FloorConnecting PatternsMural on the CeilingSymmetry above a DoorwayAnother DomeThe Floor is as Interesting as Everything ElseSo Many Murals Inside of a Dome3 Dimensional Walls and CeilingAnother Ceiling with ArtworkArchway and DomeColorful Walls and Ceiling
Florence was the cradle of renaissance art for several centuries, so it is no surprise that it hosts one of the most famous museums in the world for renaissance art, the Uffizi Gallery. The Medici family was renowned for their patronage of the arts and commissioned many great works of art from artists such as Leonardo, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Machiavelli. After the family died out, a deal was made to give all of their art to the city of Florence and the Uffizi Gallery is home to many of those works.
Rich and Vibrant ColorsBotticelli’s Birth of VenusRoman BustClassic Renaissance StyleWonderful Details
One of the most famous paintings in the Uffizi Gallery is the Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli. Painted sometime in the 1480’s, the painting of the goddess Venus coming to shore after her birth. Other important works in the museum include Michelangelo’s The Holy Family, Leonardo da Vinci’s Adoration of the Magi, and Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait as a Young Man. With so many wonderful works of art, you should certainly plan on several hours when visiting the Uffizi Gallery. You should also expect plenty of crowds as it is one of the most visited museums in all of Italy.
Religious ImageryAn Interesting StyleOne of the Many Rooms with Famous StatuesCommissioned PortraitVery Dramatic
Although the paintings are certainly the focal point of the Uffizi Gallery, there are plenty of historic sculptures as well. Seemingly every inch of the museum is covered with beautiful works of art and it can be quite overwhelming. As with many other famous museums with so many different works of art to see, a single visit will never truly do it justice, but since we were only in Florence for a week, it would have to do. In addition to the Uffizi Gallery, visiting the Accademia Gallery in Florence to see Michelangelo’s David as well as many other incredible pieces should also be on your agenda.
Detailed StatuePortraits of a CoupleMedusaYou Could Spend Hours in the MuseumTuscan Perspective
No visit to Cairo, Egypt would be complete without making time to tour the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. As with many other sites in Egypt, having an Egyptologist as a guide is extremely helpful if you want to learn as much as possible during your time in the museum. There are so many items on display within the museum that it can be quite overwhelming. In addition to the sarcophaguses, papyrus hieroglyphs, and pieces of art, there are several dramatic statues housed within the museum.
Museum Center HallSarcophagusSphinx StatueEnormous StatuesPyramid
Obviously, much of the treasures of Egypt can be found in museums throughout the world including the British Museum and the Smithsonian Museum. Even if you have visited one of these other museums and seen the treasures, such as the golden articles found in King Tutankhamen’s tomb, it is certainly worth going to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo. Seeing these artifacts on display in their own country is certainly a source of national pride for Egypt. For years, they have been trying to reacquire as many of the treasures and statues as they possibly can.
Papyrus HieroglyphsBeautiful ArtworkOn the Museum GroundsElaborate CasketUnique Statue
To truly enjoy and see a majority of the museum will take you the majority of a full day. At the very least, you should plan on about four hours and that will likely be at a fairly brisk pace.
Figurines Featuring Daily LifeSo Many StatuesPapyrus ArtDetails Carved in StoneNot the Rosetta Stone
