Wednesday I went with Steph and Jen's class again (their professor is also my Italian professor, so he likes me and lets me tag along). We went through the vatican museums. We didnt have much time there because they close early, so we really only saw the big stuff. I would like to go back, but it costs alot. This is the courtyard in the center of the complex called the courtyard of the pinecone because....

There is a giant pinecone in it! Apparently it used to be a really cool fountain in the baths of Agrippa.

An ENTIRE hallway of marble busts. crazy.

Zues.

Laocoon. He was a Greek priest of Posideon who warned the Trojans about accepting gifts from the Greeks. Therefore Posideon sent serpents to kill him and his sons. The statue was unearthed in 1506 and Pope Julius II (the pope who built the vatican) apparently ordered every church in Rome to ring its bells in celebration.

A statue of Appollo in the Belvedere Garden.

The Belvedere torso. Also unearthed during Julius II's papacy, the muscles in the torso were very influencial to Michelangelo and Raphael. This and the two statues above were Michelangelo's references when we carved the statue of David (which I will see in a few weeks in florence!!)

The ceiling in one of the rooms. Each ceiling was prettier than the next.

A statue of Emperor Nero. This room was circular and lined witth statues and a huge circular table in the middle. so neat!

A really pretty detailed mosiac in the floor.

Another pretty ceiling

The ceiling in the map room. Soo detailed! The panels tell a story going down the hall!

This room had ancient maps covering the walls. This is an easily recognizable one...

A tapestry of the last supper

In the constantine room. Im pretty sure this is the battle in which Constantine attributed his victory to the Christian God and became a Christian. The battle of Pons Milvius. This was designed my Raphael, but painted by his assistants after he died.

The School of Athens painted by Raphael in the library of Pope Julius II. It was over the philosophy section of the library, so it includes pictures of all of the famous philosophers. Even Raphael and Michelangelo make an apperance in the painting!

The Disputation of the Sacrament by Raphael, directly across from the school of athens. It includes many of the major popes and theologians at the time on the earthly level, the eucharist pointing up to Jesus who looks up to God. Nex to Jesus in Heaven are Mary, John the Baptist and other biblical figures. Its such a beautiful painting. There is so much in it!

The spiral staircase leading out of the museums.