Galleries In Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums are a collection of art and historical museums located in Vatican City, the smallest independent state in the world. The museums contain one of the world's largest and most valuable art collections, including works by some of the greatest artists in history, such as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci. The museum galleries showcase a wide range of art and artifacts from different cultures and historical periods, including ancient Roman and Egyptian art, Renaissance masterpieces, and contemporary art. 

Some of the most famous Vatican Museum galleries include the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms, and the Gallery of Maps. The Sistine Chapel, located in the Apostolic Palace, is renowned for its ceiling painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. The Raphael Rooms, located in the Palace of the Vatican, contain frescoes painted by Raphael and his students, including the famous School of Athens. Visiting the Vatican Museums and their galleries is a unique opportunity to experience some of the world's most important and breathtaking art treasures.

Gregorian Egyptian Museum
Gregorian Egyptian Museum

One of the galleries within the Vatican Museum is the Gregorian Egyptian Museum. It was founded in 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI and comprises nine rooms that showcase artifacts from ancient Egypt that were brought to Rome, as well as a collection from Hadrian's Villa Adriana in Tivoli. The museum, situated in the Palace of the Belvedere, houses various epigraphic artifacts, reliefs, and inscriptions from Assyrian palaces, the famous Book of the Dead, the Carlo Grassi collection, and a reconstruction of the Serapeum of the Canopus of Hadrian's Villa. The nine rooms lead out to the terrace of the "Nicchione della Pigna", which is adorned with numerous sculptures. Visiting the Gregorian Egyptian Museum is a unique opportunity to explore the vast array of historical artifacts and artworks that are part of the Vatican Museum galleries.

Chiaramonti Museum
Chiaramonti Museum

Another gallery within the Vatican Museums is the Chiaramonti Museum, located in the loggia that connects the Palace of the Belvedere to the Vatican Palaces. The museum is named after Pope Pius VII Chiaramonti, who reigned from 1800 to 1823 and was established in 1806 with the intention of exhibiting the "three sister arts" together: painting, sculpture, and architecture. The Chiaramonti Museum boasts an impressive collection of over one thousand antique sculptures on display. It is a unique opportunity for visitors to explore the vast array of historical artifacts and artworks that are part of the galleries in the Vatican Museums.

New Wing
New Wing

The Vatican Museum galleries also include the Braccio Nuovo (New Wing) of the Chiaramonti Museum, which was commissioned by Pope Pius VII (1800-1823) and designed by the Roman architect Raffaelle Stern. Following Stern's death, the project was continued by Pasquale Belli, and the new wing was opened in 1822. The construction of the wing was necessitated by the return of works that were confiscated by Napoleon, which required a reorganization of the museum's collection. The neo-classical style of the building houses a collection of classical sculptures. The walls of the galleries in the Vatican Museum are adorned with 28 niches that display life-size statues of emperors and Roman replicas of renowned Greek sculptures. Visiting the Braccio Nuovo is a unique opportunity to explore the vast array of historical artifacts and artworks that are part of the Vatican museum galleries.


Must Read: Paintings in Vatican Museums

Pio Clementino Museum
Pio Clementino Museum

The Vatican museum galleries also include the Clementine Gallery, which was named after Pope Clement XIV and Pope Pius VI, who established the museum in 1771. The gallery comprises twelve rooms and houses a collection of classical sculptures from the pontifical collections, findings from excavations in Rome and Lazio, as well as donations from collectors and antiquaries. The building's neo-classical architecture was designed by Alessandro Dori, Michelangelo Simonetti, and Giuseppe Camporese. A visit to the Clementine Gallery is a must for anyone interested in exploring the vast array of historical artifacts and artworks that are part of the Vatican Museum.

Gregorian Etruscan Museum
Gregorian Etruscan Museum

The Vatican museum galleries also house the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, which was established in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and is one of the oldest museums dedicated to Etruscan antiquities. The museum showcases artifacts that were discovered during excavations in the ancient cities of Etruria, as well as Roman antiquities and Greek figurative vases. The collections of Falcioni, Benedetto Guglielmi, Mario Astarita, and Giacinto Guglielmi are also displayed here. Visitors to the museum can also catch a glimpse of Bramante's double-helix staircase from inside the building. A visit to the Gregorian Etruscan Museum is a must for anyone interested in exploring the fascinating history and culture of ancient Etruria.


Also Read: Galleries in Vatican Museums

Gallery Of The Candelabra
Gallery Of The Candelabra

The Gallery of the Candelabra is a hall in the Vatican Museums in Rome, Italy, featuring an impressive collection of candelabra, sculptures, and frescoes. The gallery takes its name from the ornate bronze candelabra that decorate the room. The walls of the gallery are adorned with beautiful frescoes depicting landscapes and mythological scenes. The Gallery of the Candelabra is one of the most famous galleries in the Vatican Museums, and attracts thousands of visitors each year. It is a must-visit for art enthusiasts and history buffs alike, as it provides a unique insight into the artistic and cultural heritage of Italy.

Gallery Of Tapestries
Gallery Of Tapestries

The Vatican's Gallery of Tapestries, or Galleria Degli Arazzi, showcases a collection of tapestries dating back to the fifteenth century when the pontiffs commissioned a series of tapestries. This gallery features the Flemish series, which portrays scenes from the Life of Christ based on drawings by Raphael's pupils. Additionally, the gallery exhibits seventeenth-century tapestries depicting episodes from the life of Urban VIII.

Room Of The Immaculate Conception
Room Of The Immaculate Conception

At the request of Pius IX, Francis Podesta worked on the spacious room next to Raphael's Rooms from 1856 to 1865 to commemorate the declaration of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. The fresco begins from the ceiling with depictions of virtues associated with the Virgin Mary and proceeds to the east wall, where the Coronation of the Image of Mary is shown, an event that took place after the proclamation.

Raphael's Rooms
Raphael's Rooms

The Vatican's Raphael Rooms, consisting of four rooms named Sala di Costantino, Stanza di Eliodoro, Stanza della Segnatura, and Stanza dell'Incendio del Borgo, are a part of the Apostolic Palace that was selected by Julius II della Rovere to be his residence and also used by his successors. These rooms are renowned for the frescoes painted by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael.

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    The Vatican Museums house an extensive collection of art and artifacts collected by the Catholic Church over the centuries. Visitors can see ancient Roman sculptures, Renaissance masterpieces, and priceless treasures from around the world. Some of the most famous works include the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo and the Laocoön and His Sons sculpture.

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