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
There are many sights to see when visiting a city with a history as rich as Rome’s and one of those is certainly the Pantheon. There are many fascinating things about the Pantheon, including the fact that it was originally created as a temple to worship all of the Roman gods. Unlike most other temples that were built to specifically honor a single god, this temple was meant to be a place where one could visit to gain favor from all of the gods. Even more interesting is that it was converted to a church in the 7th century and has been in continual use throughout its history.
Front of the PantheonPulpit in Front of StatueDome CeilingDome Exterior
Walking the exterior of the building provides you with the true sense of how old the Pantheon really is as the walls are worn with age and ruins of an ancient wall are preserved at its base. The shape of the Pantheon has been an inspiration to generations of architects that were fascinated by its dome that opens to the heavens. Once you step through the threshold of the Pantheon and enter the basilica, you are greeted with a sense of juxtaposition. Unlike the worn exterior, the interior is adorned with beautiful art as well as marble walls and floor.
Beautiful ArtworkChurch AltarAncient Wall Around the PantheonDetails in the St
You should certainly expect there to be plenty of crowds as you visit the Pantheon as it is likely on every tourist’s itinerary, as it should be. It is still a church called the Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres and the altar is quite notable as you enter the Pantheon. You should certainly go to the center of the large, circular room and look up at the dome with its hole to allow light and suggesting access to the heavens. You should also take time to look at all of the statues that are in the niches of the portico as well as the reliefs and paintings as they are all incredible to see.
Crowds Outside of the PantheonMarble FloorsOne of the PaintingsMore Church Features
With so many places to see in Rome, such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, etc., the Pantheon is definitely an important location to visit. Unlike the Acropolis of Athens where the temples are isolated on a hill that overlooks the city, seeing the Pantheon in the winding, narrow streets of the city is quite a unique experience.
Painting to be RestoredPantheon Exterior on a Narrow StreetReligious Artwork
