Vatican Museum, Vatican City

The Vatican Museum is divided in several sections. You can start from the Egyptian museum, which occupies ten rooms, then you can see the Chiaramonti museum, where about one thousand Greek and Roman sculptures are shwed.In the lapidary gallery there are thousands of inscriptions which make in the richest one in the world.

In the Pio Clementino museum, besides numerous Roman sculptures, which are copies of famous Greek original ones, like the Laocoonte, you can admire the bronze "Amazzone ferita" and some works by A. Canova, like the "Perseo".

The Etruscan museum keeps objects coming from Etruria excavations and private donations in addition to Roman works and a collection of Greek vases. Among the most remarkable pieces there are those coming from the famous Cerveteri tomb.

The Raffaello's rooms are a fixed stop in the Vatican Museums: they are so called because keep frescoes by the famous artist. In the room of the Segnatura, which was the Giulio II's study, you can find the "Disputa del SS. Sacramento", the "Scuola di Atene" and the "Parnaso".

In the Constantine's room there are some frescoes by Master's pupils. Going on, you can see the Raffaello's loggia decorated with scenes of the Old and New Testament; it was begun by Bramante and completed by Raffaello.

A little bit further, there are Chiaroscuri's room, the ceiling of which is decorated with Raffaello's designs, the Nicolina Chapel with frescoes by Beato Angelico and the Borgia's flat decorated nearly in full by Pinturicchio's frescoes. The collection of modern religious art occupies 55 rooms and consists of about 800 paintings and religious sculptures.

The museum comes to an end at the Sistine Chapel its magnificent paintings and the ceiling painted by Michelangelo. See my tip on the Sistine Chapel for further information.

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Who says the papacy has not kept up with the modern times? At least in the field of modern art, that would be a fallacy. Before succumbing to the awe of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescoes from the Age of the Renaissance, take a short detour to the modern art section where there are loads of interesting pieces, like this scarlet-red-painting (picture 1) and the metal reliefs of Pope John Paul II (pictures 2 and 3) as well as this steel sculpture of a cross (picture 4). Displayed in no less than 55 rooms beneath the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican is indeed very serious about its modern art collection.

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The Sistine Chapel aside, perhaps no other room (or series of rooms, for that matter) in the Vatican Museums elicits more ohs and ahs than Raphael's Stanze. Here, its the rooms - covered in gloriously colorful frescoes - are the attraction themselves.

While the Gallery of Tapestries remind me of the illustrated Bible storybooks of my childhood, Raphael's Stanze are like my college humanities textbook coming to life (and indeed they are!) in beautiful, vivid colors. The rooms' flagship fresco - The School of Athens - is just what I imagined it to be - larger than life, and awe inspiring.

This wonderfully decorated gallery features some of Christendom's most beautiful tapestry works - specifically by Belgian artisans from the Scuola Nuova (New School), to distinguish them from the tapestries of the Scuola Vecchia (Old School), which are displayed at the Vatican Pinacoteca.

I never thought tapestries would appeal to me, but I spent a good few minutes admiring them that look like pages from a giant illustrated Bible storybook.

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One of the most photographed pieces from the museums reside in this magnificent gallery of statues - the Laocoon group of marble statues believed to had been created by the Rhodes sculptors Hagesandros, Athanodoros and Polydoros in 1 AD on orders of the emperor Titus. The statues had been hailed as the model upon which other similar works in painting and in bronze by Pliny the Elder, an authoritative Roman writer. This cemented the statues' prominence and status.

I specifically liked the very realistic rendition of the movement of the muscles of the Trojan priest Laocoon. Also amazing is the statue's facial expression at it battles the serpent.

This hall, which literally means new wing is known for its sculptures that were "deported" by Napoleon (yes, the French general) to Paris. Many sculptures are Roman reproductions of the Greek originals. We all know from History 101 that the classical Greeks were looked up to by the Romans in culture, government, literature and mythology and art.

The gallery was built under the patronage of Pius VII in early 19th century, after Napoleon's loot was returned to the Vatican - perhaps under threats of excommunication and eternal damnation in hell?

It's practically and physically impossible to have a comprehensive tour of the Vatican Museums in day. I allotted a full afternoon for it, and still left me wanting - but quite fatigued. Simply, the museums are one of those special places that you have to visit time and again to fully appreciate them. Below, I've picked a few of my favorites during my tour through a series of tips.

Before the Romans, there were the Etruscans, and their art is also featured in the museum. This wing was inaugurated in 1837, with exhibits sourced mainly from acquisitions and excavations in Southern Etruria (now part of Lazio).

I particularly liked the colorful mosaics that featured daily Etruscan lives as well as celebrations. the colors are so vivid and showed precise details of the human body.

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As an avid traveler, I was naturally drawn to the Gallery of Maps. The gallery contained maps of Italy and the church's territories commissioned by Pope Gregory XII between 1580 and 1583. These maps were done by the 16th century cartographer Ignazio Danti. The maps are not only colorful - but also give you an idea how Italy and their territories are perceived by the Roman Catholic Church in terms of topography and geography.

But even more stunning - to me at least - is the gallery itself. It is perhaps one of the most richly frescoed rooms in the museums. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.