Since it’s only six sleeps before I leave for Italy, I’ve been spending some time looking through photos and notes from my trip last year.  One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Vatican Museum and grounds.  I’m excited just thinking about it.

The nice people at Detroit Public Television were kind enough to offer me a review set of Secrets of the Vatican Collection, a 5-disc DVD documentary that is a wonderful profile of the Vatican, it’s history, art, life, and day-to-day workings.  This small city state, located a stone’s throw from Rome, has a rich history, full of tradition, yet must still exist in the modern world.

This 14-part documentary premiered on Public TV earlier this year, and gives an in depth look at the public and private sides of the Vatican and its operation.  The episodes have been collected into 4 DVD’s, and a fifth bonus DVD added that is a highlight of what you’ll see in the full series.

Topics covered, along with some of my personal commentary:

Disc 1:  Here is Peter, The Conclave of Cardinals, A Little State in the Shadow of the Church, and Divisions of His Holiness

For me, this was the weakest of the discs.  It was historical, and should have been interesting, but I found the narrative unnecessarily dry, and in some places downright boring.  Nonetheless, the information lays the foundation for what is to come.  I was a bit concerned after watching this disc about what was to come.

Disc 2:  St. Peter’s Basilica, Papal Operations and Workers, and The Pope’s Transportation.

Things start to pick up with this disc!  I didn’t have a chance to visit St. Peter’s Basilica, so the tour through it, along with the explanation of its history, architecture, and art, made me wish that I had been able to make time for a tour.  Next time!  Papal Operations covered a lot of the day-to-day stuff of what it takes to keep the Vatican running on a day-to-day basis, and a little background about the people who make it happen.  I didn’t know there was a farm and a dairy.  The Pope’s Transportation covered some of the old coaches, antique automobiles, the Papal chair, on  up to the Pope-mobile.  The Pope’s license plate?  SCV1.  You’ll find many of these the cars on display at the Vatican Museum.

Disk 3:  Papal Antiques, The Papal Gardens, Vatican Residents, and Art Hospital.

A tour through the Vatican Museum will let you know that there’s a lot of art and antiques in the Vatican, and it was interesting, but not surprising, to learn more about them and how they are cared for.  From a window in the Museum, I caught a glimpse of the gardens, and I enjoyed this segment immensely.  These gardens have remained in place for over 800 years.  Learning about what was in the gardens, how it was maintained, and how it provided a respite for the Pontiff, was incredibly interesting.  While it’s easy to think of the Vatican as the Pope’s home, in fact, there are many people in residence there.  I LOVED learning about the Swiss Guards, and the interview with the wife of one of them was incredibly fascinating.  I watched this section a couple of times, and picked up a few more things each time.

Disk 4:  St Peter’s Media, Passing by of Time and the Present, and Sistine Chapel.

Another fascinating look at a side of the Vatican that I had never thought off, the Press Office of the Holy See.  Talk about some serious PR strategies!  This disc also provided a look at the evolution of the Vatican, and traced some history and policies up to current time.  While much has remained the same, steeped deeply in tradition, religious and otherwise, it is still a city/state that has to face modern challenges much like the rest of the world.  The segment on the Sistine Chapel was a great explanation of many of the things that I saw when I visited.

If you’re planning a visit to the Vatican, I’d recommend viewing the DVD set BEFORE going.  It provides a history and framework of what you’ll see, and some of the bits of information and trivia will give you a richer experience and understanding when you visit.  I’d then recommend watching it again upon your return.  This second viewing will fill in some of the gaps between the first viewing and your visit, and I’ll bet there will be a few “aha” moments, and you remember some things that you saw on your visit.

Disc 5:  Highlights

I watched this last, and I probably should have watched it first.  It provides a nice overview and explanation of what is to come.

The Secrets of the Vatican Collection is available from Amazon for $23.99.  It’s a good personal purchase, and would also make a great gift if you know someone who has a Rome vacation planned.

Location:  A vacant hallway at the Vatican.  The artwork on the ceiling was as intricate and detailed as that on the walls.  And the floor was so shiny that it might as well have been a mirror.

Image credit:  Personal collection

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The imposing cylindrical Castel Sant’Angelo, situated along the Tiber River in Rome, was built between 123 and 129 AD.  It was first known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian, serving as the resting grounds for the ashes of the Roman emperor.  Ashes of Hadrian’s family, as well as subsequent emperors, joined him there.

The tomb was ransacked during one of Rome’s less civilized periods, and the Castel Sant’angelo was later used as a fortress (Popes hid out here), castle (connected to St. Peter’s Basilica by a covered corridor), and prison (executions were held in the interior square). 

Today it is the location of the National Museum’s collections of weapons, ceramics, furnishings, and Renaissance paintings, and still a formidable presence on the Rome’s skyline.

It’s worth stopping by to look at the architecture and history of the building, and the great views, and much as it is to view the collections.  There’s a beautiful papal apartment inside, built to accommodate a Pope in the event of a siege upon the Vatican,  and an interior spiral ramp that dates back to the original mausoleum days.  Rumor has it that there’s also a special art room, but since I didn’t personally see it, it must remain a rumor for me.

The Castel Sant’angelo is an easy stop off after seeing the Vatican.  Walk back toward the city, and you can’t miss it.  The crowds are substantially less, meaning you can take a far more leisurely approach to what you are seeing.  I’d recommend allowing 60-90 minutes, depending on what piques your curiosity.  There are lots of photo ops!

You’ll find the Castel Sant’angelo at Lungotevere del Castello 50.  This is near the Ponte Sant’angelo ( St. Angelo Bridge).  Seriously, head toward the bridge and you can’t miss it. 

Open hours are Tuesday – Sunday, 9 am – 6:30 pm.  Closed on Mondays, Christmas Day, and New Years Day.  Admission was 5 euros for adults, and those under 18 admitted FREE.

Photo credit: Personal collection

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I’m bringing you another photo from my trip to Italy, this one of Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

I’m in Tuscany now, and hope to share some additional photos from my week here at a farmhouse.