I Have Read Angels and Demons Too Many Times!

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It is only now that I think back about what I did today that I realize that I must seem like I am totally obsessed over that book. Today I definitely hit a lot of the places that are mentioned in the book.

To spare my poor feet, I took the subway to the Piazza del Popolo. I've mentioned my achy feet a few times now. It's not like I am limping around or anything. But it kind of feels like when you have worked out too much and are stiff the next day. My feet are outright stiff. In the morning, I can't even point them. Isn't getting older fun? In my defense, I have done ALOT of walking and ALOT of stair climbing. I have only used public transportation when I have had to otherwise everything else has pretty much been on foot. But I digress ...

Piazza del Popolo ... it is a large square. At one end, there is the Porta del Popolo and the small Church of Santa Maria del Popolo. On the other end, there are two churches that are almost (just almost) identical. Via Corso runs in between them and leads all the way to the Vittoriano which you can faintly see (heck it's big enough!). In the centre, there is a fountain with an obelisk. I visited one of the two similar churches (there always seems to be just one open at a time ... it was the same thing in Turin ... almost identical churches, only one open). I also popped into the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo. This is one of the stops made by Robert Langdon in Angels and Demons ... the Chigi Chapel definitely gets a lot of attention!!

When I walked out, I noticed a big sign for the museum called the Genius of Leonardo da Vinci. What a fascinating little museum!! Da Vinci had books upon books of drawings and writings apparently and a number of them were designs for different inventions. What this museum has done is essentially taken the drawings and built whatever the contraptions are. He is considered one of the most versatile artists and you can see why. He had drawings for artillery, clock mechanisms, gliders and other contraptions to fly. He designed a bicycle. He designed scuba gear. He designed clock mechanisms.

There was also a video that interpreted the Last Supper. That painting never interested me more than that but I definitely have a new perspective on it now. Da Vinci also studied anatomy and has very detailed drawings. He even went as far as participating in dissections in order to further his knowledge. There were replicas of his drawings on the wall and they are just amazing. There was also a video that explained the Vitruvian man. It showed all of the proportions that exist within the human body ... you know...like your arm span is equal to your height. Well there are tons of those types of proportions within the human body.

From there, I walked along the Tiber River until I reached the Ponte Sant'Angelo. It is a bridge that is lined with beautiful statues of angels that date back from the 17th Century and were crafted by Bernini and his students. That takes you to the Castel Sant'Angelo (you know ... the lair of the Illuminati!!!) which was used as a papal fortress starting in the 6th century. This is actually on the list of things to visit in Rome but will be for another day ... they are closed on Monday.

I then continued my walk towards the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica. I walked around St. Peters Square for a bit and then made my way to the line to get into the Basilica. The line is quite long but moves very quickly so the wait is really reasonable. What to say about this Basilica ... there are no words really. My guidebook says that it covers 15,000 square feet and can hold a congregation of 60,000. I meandered around for quite a bit just taking it all in.

I then made my way out and noticed that the line for the cupola was significantly shorter than what it had been when I had gone into the Basilica. So this was my chance. There are two options and I took the "easier" one. First ... without elevator ... 551 steps. With an elevator ... there are still 320 steps. There is a warning about the fact that some of the steps are narrow and that this particular activity may not be for everyone. The stairs are indeed very narrow ... I would say maximum 2 feet wide, if that. At one point, you are able to go out onto this narrow walkway and circle the outside of the dome. You get to see some of the mosaics up close and personal. Great view. You then go back in and continue the ascend to the top. There is one point as you make your way up where you have to tilt your whole body towards the right because you are literally in the dome itself. And just near the end, you have to go up this tiny circular staircase and there is nothing really to hold on to so they've tied this rope and it just hangs there for you to grab. And then you are finally there ... and you get to see St. Peters Square and really get the sense of how big it is and that keyhole shape (that you have no sense of from the ground). Definitely worth it!

So back down I went (I skipped the elevator going down). There is actually a stop on the roof. Quite the little community up there. There are bathrooms. There is a souvenir shop. There is a refreshment stand. And there is the Vatican post office (the Vatican has its own police force and its own postal service) so you can mail your letter from the roof of St. Peters Basilica. And you actually see a lot of tourists putting postcards in the bright yellow mailboxes.

There was a temporary exhibit going on in honour of Pope John Paul II. I had noticed that there were still a lot of souvenirs with his image, probably more so than the current Pope I dare say. This was actually done in honour of his beatification which took place on May 1. It was a very interesting and moving tribute I must say. There were some of his personal effects like his hat and briefcase, his backpack and running shoes and a number of letters he had written. The exhibit then moved into his "professional" life with a number of cassocks and his cardinal ring. He was considered to be the most active Pope. They estimate that 17.6 million attended the mass that is given every Wednesday during his reign as Pope. There was also quite a few photographs including one of him in his hospital bed after he had been shot. The video of it actually played in a loop. Really interesting exhibit.

By that time, it was very late afternoon and hadn't really eaten anything. So I grabbed a sandwich and sat in St. Peters Square. Pigeons were hovering around. One was giving me the evil eye as he hovered over my shoulder. I know that people hate when you feed the pigeons but I find it hard to resist. But I was being good until I saw the poor little thing limping along because she only had one leg. Oh God ... that just ripped my heart out. So I had my sandwich in St. Peters Square with a limping pigeon at my side. I think that I made her day. Poor little defenseless thing ...

So I made the long walk back to my hotel but first I wanted to stop at Campo Fiori. My understanding was that this was a type of market area. I was too late though and all that remained was the garbage left behind and the couple of garbage men picking it all up. It reminded me of ... well ... everyday in Naples. Awww ... Naples.

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Photos

1
At the bottom it says "objects may appear closer than ...."

2 Church of Santa Maria del Popolo
You know ... Robert Langdon goes there ... the Chigi Chapel ...

3 Piazza del Popolo
With it's almost two identical churches

6 the two churches
They are actually not identical

7
He just reminds me of "le chat de Cleopatre" ...

10 the church on the right
not the same

20
I definitely remember this from last time!!

21 Chigi Chapel
The one Robert Langdon races to ...

Comments

[Jen]

I am having flashbacks looking at your photos! As always, they are terrific. If you wander over to Campo de' Fiori again today, Hostaria Farnese is on one of the pedestrian side streets just off the piazza. Think of me while you enjoy a glass of vino rosso and a lovely meal!