{"id":17180,"date":"2023-05-25T14:10:41","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T13:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/?p=17180"},"modified":"2026-01-17T16:42:59","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T16:42:59","slug":"raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums","title":{"rendered":"Raphael&#8217;s Rooms: Amazing Frescoes at the Vatican Museums"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, who exactly was Raphael? And what is the history behind him decorating these incredible rooms? Well, i<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n 1508 Pope Julius II summoned to Rome a prodigious, but untested young artist from the town of Urbino. He wanted him to fresco the inside of what was intended to be his library. The then unknown artist\u00b4s name was Raffaelo Santi or Raffaelo Sanzio, but he is now famous worldwide as Raphael. Read on to learn all about the Vatican&#8217;s famous Raphael&#8217;s Rooms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10545\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10545\" class=\"wp-image-10545 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/WEB2286-copy.jpg\" alt=\"Raphael\u00b4s Rooms in the Vatican Museums. An series of interconnected rooms, filled with highly decorated rooms with frescos painted on the walls and tiled floors.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/WEB2286-copy.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/WEB2286-copy-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10545\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wander through Raphael\u00b4s Rooms in the Vatican Museums and marvel at the frescos.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#A_Brief_History\" >A Brief History<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#Raphaels_Rooms_%E2%80%93_4_amazing_spaces\" >Raphael&#8217;s Rooms &#8211; 4 amazing spaces<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#The_Stanza_della_Segnatura\" >The Stanza della Segnatura<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#The_Stanza_di_Eliodoro\" >The Stanza di Eliodoro<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#The_Stanza_dellincendio_del_Borgo\" >The Stanza dell\u2019incendio del Borgo<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#The_Sala_di_Constantino\" >The Sala di Constantino<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#Tips_For_Visiting_Raphaels_Rooms\" >Tips For Visiting Raphael&#8217;s Rooms<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#Opening_Times\" >Opening Times<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#Tickets\" >Tickets<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#Private_Tours_and_Exclusive_access\" >Private Tours and Exclusive access<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#Rules_Regulations\" >Rules &amp; Regulations\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#FAQ%C2%B4s_%E2%80%93_Raphaels_Rooms_and_The_Vatican_Museums\" >FAQ\u00b4s &#8211; Raphael&#8217;s Rooms and The Vatican Museums<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#What_is_the_best_season_to_visit\" >What is the best season to visit?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/raphaels-rooms-in-the-vatican-museums\/#What_is_the_easiest_way_to_get_there\" >What is the easiest way to get there?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Brief_History\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Brief History <\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the moment he was summoned, and over the better part of the next ten years, the young Raffaelo (and his workshop) were dedicated to creating a series of frescoes in Julius\u2019 apartments. Little did he know that these would eventually lend his name to the very rooms he decorated &#8211; and that tourists would flock to see Raphael&#8217;s Rooms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although some of the frescoes are valued more highly than others due to having more or less involvement by Raphael in the actual painting, they are all among the most important paintings in Italy, and indeed the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raphael\u2019s frescoes are considered the artistic pinnacle of the Italian Renaissance alongside Michelangelo\u2019s ceiling in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/the-sistine-chapel-in-the-vatican-museums\">Sistine Chapel<\/a>, which was painted at roughly the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Raphaels_Rooms_%E2%80%93_4_amazing_spaces\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raphael&#8217;s Rooms &#8211; 4 amazing spaces<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raphael&#8217;s Rooms span four separate spaces. The Stanza della Segnature, the Stanza di Eliodoro, and the Stanza dell\u2019incendio del Borgo and the Sala di Constantino.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Stanza_della_Segnatura\"><\/span><strong>The Stanza della Segnatura<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the first room Raphael painted and also considered his greatest masterpiece. It includes three frescoes &#8211; the School of Athens, the Parnassus, and Disputa, all of which combine to form one of the most jaw-dropping rooms in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/attractions\/the-vatican-museums\">Vatican Museums<\/a> &#8211; especially if you can decode all the symbolism packed into each work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most famous of the three is the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scuola di Ateni <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or School of Athens, an incredible fresco that places all of the greatest minds of antiquity into a single, perfectly balanced scene to celebrate the union of science, philosophy, ration, and spirituality. You won\u2019t find a better representation of the perfection of Renaissance form and ideals anywhere in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17012\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17012\" class=\"wp-image-17012 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Raphael-copyright.jpg\" alt=\"Raphael's Rooms in the Vatican Museums\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17012\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The sheer scale of the pieces is not apparent until you are actually there in person in Raphael&#8217;s Rooms<\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em><strong>Insider tip:<\/strong> <\/em>Keep an eye out for familiar faces in this painting. Raphael painted himself in the far right, Leonardo Da Vinci as Plato in the center of the picture, and and Michelangelo as Heraclitus in the bottom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The beauty of the room was immediately recognized in its own time &#8211; as soon as it was finished it became the official place for the Pope to sign important documents, hence the name <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stanza della Segnatura <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or \u201cSignature Room.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Stanza_di_Eliodoro\"><\/span><strong>The Stanza di Eliodoro<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the Room of Heliodorus, Raphael dropped the larger historical perspective and focused on the glorification of the church. Raphael painted four of the scenes from the Old Testament on the ceiling himself, but at this point he was beginning to rely more heavily on his pupils who would use detailed drawings that he made in order to paint \u201chis\u201d work themselves. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was a widely-used technique among many of the most prolific Renaissance artists. The obvious exception is Michelangelo who maintained no studio and as a consequence, produced much less than artists like Raphael. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em><strong>Insider tip:<\/strong> <\/em>Keep a look out for Pope Julius. He was nearing the end of his life as Raphael and his team were working on this room but that didn\u2019t stop Raphael from including him in all of the frescoes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Stanza_dellincendio_del_Borgo\"><\/span><strong>The Stanza dell\u2019incendio del Borgo<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a lot more church glorification in this room but you\u2019ll notice that the figure of the Pope changes. By the time Raphael and his team &#8211; to whom he was now entrusting the majority of the work &#8211; got started on this third room, Julius II had died and been replaced by the Medici Pope, Leo X. This is why all the Popes represented in these frescoes are named Leo.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17227\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17227\" class=\"wp-image-17227 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Raphael_Incendio.jpg\" alt=\"Raphael's Rooms in the Vatican Museums\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17227\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">With so much detail in all of the frescoes in Raphael&#8217;s Rooms, the more you look, the more you are drawn in<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s Leo the IV extinguishing the titular fire at the Borgo with little but a stout prayer and again conquering the Saracens in 849. That\u2019s Leo III crowning Charlemagne. One of the (unfortunately) notable points about this room is the inconsistency of the work. Some of the frescoes can stand alongside Raphael\u2019s best but others are clearly of inferior quality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Sala_di_Constantino\"><\/span><strong>The Sala di Constantino<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking of inferior quality, the Constantine Room is probably most famous for being the ugly step sibling of the first three rooms. Raphael died somewhat mysteriously midway through its painting (from a fever) and his work was finished by his students. Although they were working from his drawings, as in earlier rooms, it seems that, without him to look after the details, they were unable to uphold his divine style. The room has come to represent not only the tragically early death of Raphael, but the demise of the High Renaissance that would crumble as an epoch a few years later when Rome was sacked by foreigners.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21307\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21307\" class=\"wp-image-21307 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Walks_Vatican_St-Peters-Top-to-Bottom-0090.jpg\" alt=\"The view from St. Peters Basilica showing its large round plaza filled with people.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Walks_Vatican_St-Peters-Top-to-Bottom-0090.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Walks_Vatican_St-Peters-Top-to-Bottom-0090-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21307\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The stunning view of the Vatican City from St. Peters Basilica.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_For_Visiting_Raphaels_Rooms\"><\/span><strong>Tips For Visiting Raphael&#8217;s Rooms<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Opening_Times\"><\/span><strong>Opening Times<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Vatican Museums, in which Raphael&#8217;s Rooms are located, are open <\/span><strong data-start=\"639\" data-end=\"662\">Monday to Saturday:<\/strong> <strong data-start=\"663\" data-end=\"684\">08:00 to 18:00\/20:00<\/strong> (hours vary by season). <strong data-start=\"713\" data-end=\"732\">Last admission<\/strong> is usually <strong data-start=\"741\" data-end=\"756\">16:00 to 18:00<\/strong> depending on the season and booking time. <i>Visitors are required to leave the halls 30 minutes before museum closing time.\u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n<p>The Vatican Museums and Raphael&#8217;s Rooms are <i><strong>u<\/strong><\/i><strong data-start=\"1174\" data-end=\"1221\"><em data-start=\"1185\" data-end=\"1194\">sually<\/em> closed on Sundays, <\/strong>but on the <strong data-start=\"1234\" data-end=\"1263\">last Sunday of each month<\/strong>, the Vatican Museums are <strong data-start=\"1289\" data-end=\"1306\">open and free<\/strong> (typically <strong data-start=\"1318\" data-end=\"1333\">09:00\u201314:00<\/strong>, last entry <strong data-start=\"1346\" data-end=\"1355\">12:30<\/strong>). However, exceptions apply if that Sunday falls on major religious holidays (such as Christmas or Feast days). Check the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.museivaticani.va\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vatican website<\/a> for more information on holiday closings and special openings.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tickets\"><\/span><strong>Tickets<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.museivaticani.va\/content\/museivaticani\/en.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Online booking<\/a> for tickets<strong data-start=\"215\" data-end=\"258\">\u00a0is strongly recommended<\/strong> and almost necessary to secure your preferred time slot, especially during peak season. Tickets are often booked weeks in advance. You <em data-start=\"395\" data-end=\"400\">can<\/em> buy on site at the ticket office, but expect very long lines and limited availability.<\/p>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Private_Tours_and_Exclusive_access\"><\/span>Private Tours and Exclusive access<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A small number of tour groups, like our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/vatican-tours\/pristine-sistine-chapel-tour\/\">Pristine Sistine tour<\/a>, are allowed inside before the Vatican opens to the public each day. For the <strong>most exclusive Vatican imaginable<\/strong>, join our Alone in the Sistine Chapel: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/vatican-tours\/vatican-after-hours-tour\/\">VIP Vatican &amp; Sistine Chapel Tour.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_13088\" style=\"width: 2058px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13088\" class=\"wp-image-13088 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/RomeVatican-23-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A tour guide in Raphael\u00b4s Rooms in the Vatican Musuem shows a map of the frescoes you can see inside to a visitor\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/RomeVatican-23-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/RomeVatican-23-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/RomeVatican-23-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-13088\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Opt for a guided tour for a more complete experience.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rules_Regulations\"><\/span><strong>Rules &amp; Regulations\u00a0<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The rules of the Vatican are strict and pretty uncompromising, it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with them before your visit.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The Vatican has a dress code. Both men and women should wear clothes that cover their shoulders and knees<\/strong>. Occasionally visitors get away with wearing a bit less but it\u2019s best not to risk it. Hats are also not allowed.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Selfie Sticks are strictly forbidden along with flash photography<\/strong>. However, visitors are allowed to take non-flash photographs anywhere in the Vatican Museums besides the Sistine Chapel. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>You aren\u2019t allowed to bring food or drink into the Vatican Museums.<\/strong> If you have items with you, you can leave them in the cloakroom and collect them at the end of your visit. Any food or drink that goes uncollected will be disposed of at the end of each day.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>You cannot bring any bag, backpack suitcase or container larger that cm 40 x 35 x15<\/strong> into the Vatican Museums. Similarly, you can\u2019t enter with medium to large umbrellas, any umbrellas with spiked tips, camera tripods, or walking sticks &#8211; except those required by disabled visitors. All of these items can be left in the cloakroom.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It may seem obvious but <strong>any type of knives, scissors and other cutting tools must be deposited in the cloakroom<\/strong> as as a precaution against harming the artwork inside. There is solid precedent for this: a deranged man once attacked Michalengelo\u2019s Piet\u00e1 in St. Peter\u2019s Bas\u00edlica with a hammer.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Vatican Museums are under constant video surveillance and <strong>any touching or tampering with artwork is strictly prohibited.<\/strong> Also, no laser pointers.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to draw anything in the Raphael Rooms you have to get prior permission.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be aware: The cloakroom is conveniently located for entering the Vatican but not so conveniently located for exiting the Vatican. If you leave items in it you need to circle back to the entrance after exiting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_21301\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21301\" class=\"wp-image-21301 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/vatican-library.jpg\" alt=\"A large room with vaulted ornate ceiling and columns inside the Vatican library.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/vatican-library.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/vatican-library-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21301\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Not many people visit the Vatican&#8217;s library, but it&#8217;s definitely worth a stop. Photo credit: Candiche<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ%C2%B4s_%E2%80%93_Raphaels_Rooms_and_The_Vatican_Museums\"><\/span><strong>FAQ\u00b4s &#8211; Raphael&#8217;s Rooms and The Vatican Museums<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_best_season_to_visit\"><\/span><strong>What is the best season to visit?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May through September are usually considered high season in Rome, with a mini high season around Easter. If you visit the Vatican Museums during these months expect crowds. Regardless of the time of year, the very best time to visit the Vatican Museums is before they open to the general public, although the only way to do this is through select tour groups. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mercifully, the Raphael rooms tend to attract slightly less attention than the Sistine Chapel so, especially if you go early, you will have a chance to see them in relative peace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_easiest_way_to_get_there\"><\/span><strong>What is the easiest way to get there?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to reach the Vatican Museums is by taxi or Metro.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If traveling by taxi, make sure to specify to the driver that you are going to the entrance of the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the Vatican Museums, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Musei Vaticani)<\/span><\/i> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NOT the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basilica of St. Peter (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano)<\/span><\/i> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which is a 15-minute walk away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If traveling by metro, take the Metro A line to the Ottaviano stop. As you exit the stop turn left down Via Candia and turn left at Via Tunisi. At the end of the street you\u2019ll reach a set of steps. Climb them and at the top you\u2019ll find yourself at the entrance to the Vatican Museums.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em><strong>Insider Tip:<\/strong><\/em> Unless you are traveling with a guided tour that includes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/rome-tours\/st-peters-basilica-tour-dome-crypts\/\">St. Peter\u2019s Basilica<\/a>, the church isn\u2019t accessible from the Museums. If you want to visit it you will have to exit the Museums, turn right, and follow the wall around to the entrance of St. Peter\u2019s. It\u2019s about a 15-minute walk.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div id=\"attachment_22594\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22594\" class=\"wp-image-22594 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/copula-1.jpg\" alt=\"Various people sitting on benches in a park space with St Peter's Basilica dome in the background.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/copula-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/copula-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22594\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica is one of the world\u00b4s most famous churches. But believe it or not, there is still a lot you don&#8217;t know about it. Find out it&#8217;s secrets!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Want to experience Raphael&#8217;s Rooms and the Vatican at its most peaceful and awe-inspiring? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We offer a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/rome-tours\/?filters=Vatican\">full range of Vatican Tours<\/a> to suit all types of visits. With limited-access tours, you can step inside before the crowds arrive and see these legendary spaces in a completely different light. Choose an early-entry experience like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/vatican-tours\/pristine-sistine-chapel-tour\/\">Pristine Sistine Tour<\/a>, or go one step further with the <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">join our Alone in the Sistine Chapel: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/vatican-tours\/vatican-after-hours-tour\/\">VIP Vatican &amp; Sistine Chapel Tour<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>These rare moments of calm, access, and insight turn your visit into a truly unforgettable experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So, who exactly was Raphael? And what is the history behind him decorating these incredible rooms? Well, in 1508 Pope Julius II summoned to Rome a prodigious, but untested young artist from the town of Urbino. He wanted him to fresco the inside of what was intended to be his library. The then unknown artist\u00b4s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":10545,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[149],"tags":[68,20,76,18,19,211,284],"ppma_author":[194],"class_list":["post-17180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attractions","tag-art","tag-attractions","tag-museums","tag-rome","tag-vatican","tag-vatican-city","tag-vatican-museums"],"authors":[{"term_id":194,"user_id":80,"is_guest":0,"slug":"martinav","display_name":"Martina V.","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Martina-Vitale.png","url2x":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Martina-Vitale.png"},"user_url":"","last_name":"V.","first_name":"Martina","job_title":"","description":"Martina is an art historian and travel writer from Rome, Italy. Martina currently resides in the eternal city and draws inspiration from its iconic landmarks and timeless beauty. When she's not immersed in the vibrant artistic heritage of Italy, Martina can be found sipping espresso in charming cafes, and scoping out the city\u2019s best tiramisu\u2014her favorite dessert!"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17180"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17180"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17180\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24617,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17180\/revisions\/24617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17180"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=17180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}