Raphael rooms at Vatican question
 

We took an early morning tour of the Vatican and we had a few problems.
One of which is I swear we skipped the Raphael rooms. I have no recollection of seeing them but the tour operator insists we must have - impossible to skip.

My pictures tell me that we went up stairs after security - to a balcony overlooking gardens with view of St. Peters dome, then to a garden, then to see the sarcophagus of Constantines relatives and Bronze statue, then to greek statue corridor, then to maps room and tapestry room then to Sistine chapel. Then out side outdoor ramp to St. Peters.

Am I crazy? Its driving me nuts.

Are pictures allowed in the Raphael rooms? If so, I know I would have some and it would confirm that we were not there!

Thanks!

Amy

Pictures are allowed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57622915079327

Do you remember seeing Raphael's "School of Athens"?

This painting is HUGE and takes up an entire wall--don't know how you could miss it if you went throught the Raphael Rooms.

There are two ways to get into the Sistine Chapel. I can remember walking through the Raphael Rooms then seeing people waiting to get into the Sistine Chapel in an opposite hallway.

Do you remember seeing an Modern Art when you were around the Raphael Rooms--like Francis Bacon's portrait of Pope Innocent?

These modern paintings would have been off of a long hallway with very poor lighting.

Thin

AHa!I am not crazy. We went the first way described here. Now I am pissed at the tour operator for telling me its "physically impossible" to get to Sistine without seeing Raphael rooms. So disappointed we skipped these rooms as its unlikely we will be going back!!!


From Ron in Rome:
"As you can see from above, that’s really not possible. In order TO GET to the Sistine Chapel you have to walk through the museums . But you can use another “shortcut.” After you’ve walked, and walked, and walked… you’ll go through the Gallery of Maps (the Map Room), and after exiting, you will go through another room of Tapestries… then you’ll come to a dead end… Directly in front of you is an doorway with an undecorated hallway. This is the DIRECT path to the Sistine Chapel. Most other folks will be turning LEFT and heading to the Raphael Rooms from which they will take a seemingly endless trek back to the Sistine Chapel. But if you GO STRAIGHT from the Gallery of Maps room, through the Tapestry room, and into this doorway, you’ll go through an unspectacular hallway and end up just outside the Sistine Chapel… so if you’re looking for the fastest path, this is the way!
On the other hand, if you want to see the Raphael Rooms (which I recommend) then take a left at in this tapestry room and follow the crowd. You will walk through the incredibly beautiful paintings of Raphael (probably packed with people…) and then you will take a circuitous route and end up at a set of stairs BELOW the Sistine Chapel. Be warned. The Raphael Rooms are GREAT but you will have to walk , and walk, and walk up and down stairs through the modern art wing of the Palace if you take this route. This walk takes 8-10 minutes AFTER you leave the Raphael Rooms."

There are unsuspected discoveries in the modern art wing whose little galleries are devoid of visitors.

amya237, the tour we took 2 years ago was the same route you described for yours, and we most definitely missed the rooms with the Raphaels and the (IMO wonderful) modern art with Matisse vestments, Chagalls and more.

I realized the omission as soon as we were deposited back on the pavement at the end of our tour without any real ability to re-enter the museums. I was so sad to have missed them! I'd only been to the Vatican once before, 20 years prior, and the Raphaels are so worth seeing IRL...

If you had visited the Raphael rooms you would have definitely remembered them.... because unlike other art those rooms had the incredibly big, taking up a whole wall type of paintings in them and the rooms felt sort of dark....

I'm having a hard time remembering, but I think when I was there in January 2010, the Raphael rooms were mostly under cover due to restoration projects that were underway. I remember being disappointed by it, and seeing some of the walls covered up, and a "path" of sorts was made from what looked like scaffolding for visitors to follow.

Is it possible the restoration projects are still going on, so maybe your tour skipped the rooms? Although it wouldn't make sense for them to lie about it, if that were the case.

I hope my memory is correct, to be honest by that point my eyes and brain were overloaded and starting to swim.

The rooms were open in May 2011.

Ah, Apres, that must have been why we weren't able to see them in May 2010. I wish the guide had explained that up front. Guess I'll just have to return to Italy sooner than another 20 years! :D

Our tour started late due to our guide being delayed by Vatican security so I suspect
The guide skipped the Raphael rooms to make up for lost time.

Very disappointed and frustrated I spent so much time trying to prove to tour operator that I am not crazy.

We'll see if they come through with a partial refund.

These tours that promise early access and whisk you through the Vatican museums have the unfortunate effect of having you leave the museums to end tour at st peters without the option of rentering Vatican.

I would do it differently next time - hope there is a next time.

Thanks Michael.

ggreen, your guide definitely should have explained it imo, but I'm sure you'll be back to see them someday (I hope I will be, too!)

amya, I'm sure there will be a next time, and at least you got to see all other wonderful treasures at the Vatican museums. I can certainly understand your disappointment, though.