Weekend at the Colosseum and the Vatican

Our first weekend in Rome was jam-packed with visits to two of the most recognizable and famous sites in the world (of the many that Rome has to offer). On Saturday we visited the home base of ancient Rome as part of our "Lectures and Tours" (aka field trip) class. First, we began to learn the history of ancient Rome at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. 

The Roman Forum

Clearly the hottest day since our arrival, our entire group struggled to keep up with our unfazed and enthusiastic Archaeology professor, the tour guide for the day (we have discovered that everyone who has lived in Rome for a long period of time walks extremely fast). When we did keep up, we learned about the constant recycling of marble throughout Rome, for most of the marble that once decorated the temples of the forum now cover the Vatican and other majestic monuments. Next to the forum is Palatine Hill, the supposed grounds of Romulus's original settlement and later home to a palace for the emperors of Ancient Rome.

Walking down Palatine Hill we found ourselves in front of the Arch of Constantine and the famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) Colosseum. From far away, the city's growth seems to hide the massive size of the Colosseum, but when entering, you understand how it was the equivalent to a modern-day stadium, built with efficiency in mind. 

The Arch of Constantine (Unfortunately half of it was covered for restoration and cleaning)

The Colosseum

The Colosseum brought Romans together as a unified society and culture with shared beliefs and principles. While we know the Colosseum for its famous gladiator battles, we learned how its 'entertainment' enforced Roman ideals of law and order, social standing, and the sense of community and 'one-ness' of Romans since all were allowed to partake in the affairs. It is amazing to envision how the Colosseum would have looked in its day, with thousands of peoples coming from all over to celebrate the skill of those fighting and the prestige of the empire, almost like game-day Saturdays at Notre Dame! 

Sunday began with an early 7am start as a group of us explored the Vatican museums, which are open and free the last Sunday of the month. After crossing the Tiber River and turning a corner, we immediately found ourselves facing St. Peter's Basilica. St. Peter's Square was already filled with people who were preparing for mass at 10:30 (at least 3hours early!). Unfortunately we couldn't go to mass and see Pope Francis at noon since we were going to the museums, but we plan on doing so soon! 

Saint Peter's Square

Getting ready for mass in front of St. Peter's Basilica

The Swiss Guard (who have the honor of protecting the Pope)

After the long search for the line to the Vatican museums (which included a confusing conversation with a police officer in Italian), we finally made our way into the museums shortly after 9am. We never realized how many artifacts the Vatican museums house; there are halls upon halls of ancient Roman statues, Medieval tapestries, and paintings of great artists (such as Caravaggio!!), where one can spend hours meandering through. We spent more than three hours there and feel as if we saw less than half of what it has to offer!

Caravaggio's "The Entombment of Christ"

A beautiful tapestry displaying "The Last Supper"

Impressive courtyard of the Vatican Museum

Greek sculpture "Lacoon"

Even the museum itself is a work of art!

Though, we must say, the Vatican does save the best for last--the Sistine Chapel! Our excitement kept building as we traveled through the small corridors to view one of Michelangelo's most famous works. With the constant reminder to not take pictures while inside (though we did see some cameras here and there, and a few culprits were escorted out of the chapel), we stepped quietly into the chapel. Honestly, you shouldn't even waste your time taking pictures, because they wouldn't do Michelangelo's paintings justice. Straining your neck to admire the amazing depictions on the ceiling, you wonder how he achieved this massive feat. It was definitely what we had been waiting for all morning, and we were not disappointed! All in all, it was a perfect end to our first weekend in Rome!