When you go visit Rome, the Vatican Museum should certainly be included in your itinerary.
There are thousands of masterpieces there (including the unbelievably beautiful Sistine Chapel), from paintings and sculptures to other works of art.
Not all are on display as such, though. Its spiral staircase, a mundane structure that can easily be ignored, is very much worth noting and certainly one of the most beautiful in the world!
The spiral staircase at the Vatican Museum.
Designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932, the so-called Snail Staircase consists of two intertwined stairways that curve in a double helix (interestingly enough, the structure of the DNA hadn’t been discovered yet when Momo came up with this design).
One of the staircase goes up, while the other leads down; thus when you’re on one of the stairs, you will see people going the other way, but you will never meet. In the picture, the one leading up is empty of people as it was closed when I was there.
The glass-domed ceiling above the spiral staircase.
When you’re there, don’t forget to look up. The glass-domed ceiling, framed by the wrought-iron balustrade, is a nice sight as well.
The entrance fee to the Vatican Museum is now at 16 euros (ouch!). If you’re there on the last Sunday of the month, though, and if you can stand in line for hours to get inside, entrance is free.
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Well overall the place was not bad but I was surprised when me and my wife was confronted by secret police since my wife was wearing a veil.After we cleared the security to enter the vatican a policeman in civil clothes approached us and said something to me in Italian by pointing towards veil of my wife. I told him in english that I don’t understand what he was saying. He then said something in broken english what I understood as he had some problem by the veil of my wife but still I couldn’t understand who the hell he is to raise any objection and when he saw I was not impressed then he showed me his police badge and said again in broken english that veil is not allowed within vatican premises.All the information I had before visiting the vatican were opposite to the secret police behavior because what I was told and what I read that they don’t allow and like revealing clothes but practically I experienced the situation other way around. And I was really surprised when I saw half naked women inside the basilica right in front of Jesus (Peace be upon him) statues but they refused my wife to enter who was covered from head to toe.Latter I came to know that there is some vatican law which prohibit women from covering their face within vatican premises although it’s no problem outside vatican site. I will suggest all the muslims to be ready to face such scenario if they plan to visit it and honestly speaking I don’t think vatican really worth to see on cost of compromising your religious beliefs.
This seems to be when the Vatican is the least busy in terms of waiting in line. Yes, you may still encounter crowds once you’re inside and going through the museums, but you won’t be waiting outside in the heat (should it be during hot weather). On weekdays and Saturdays, lines seem to calm down around 11 AM and stay this way until mid-afternoon. After that, the crowd that wants to close their day with the Vatican trickles in and it gets swamped.
When you’re the Pope, you get to collect some really impressive works of art. Not only that, but over the centuries, the Vatican has had official artists creating masterpieces in the name of the Catholic church. The good news is that Vatican officials make this art collection open to the public in the Vatican Museums (“Musei Vaticani” in Italian). The bad news is that those officials don’t make it very easy to get in during the busiest travel season. But we’ll get to that in a bit. First, let’s look at why you want to make a beeline for the Vatican Museum entrance early one of the mornings of your stay in Rome.
@ Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler: Yep yep yep! 😀
@ Gail Monique Mallo: Thanks for dropping by here, and I hope I will see you again. Safe travels when you can!
Hello there!
Chanced upon your website through travel websites. Interesting site you have here! 😀 Love your passion for travel. I have that too but I keep letting work get in the way.
I will definitely be back.
All the best from Abu Dhabi! 😀
Very beautiful indeed 🙂
@ Salika: You didn’t get to visit Rome? Awww the city’s so beautiful. I would definitely go back there again!
@ Claire: Lots of interesting architecture in Rome. Hope you get to go there someday. I want to go back too!
“You will see people going the other way, but you will never meet” –> Cool! 🙂
This staircase reminds me of those spiraling seashells – this is already a work of art on its own. Will definitely go here once I fulfill my dreams of Italy. =)
A stunning architecture and photography 🙂 Although I’ve been to Italy, I couldn’t visit Rome. Good excuse to go there again 🙂
@ Tita Lili: Yeah, even on ordinary days, the crowd is unbelievable!
@ Paul: Yep, it’s beautiful. 🙂
Architecture-gasm! I would totally love to see this. Haha.
I’d rather pay…. Ouch! Those lines are really really long!