Colosseum Arena Floor & Vatican Afternoon Tour

Located in the heart of Piazza del Colosseo is the magnificent Colosseum or, as it was formerly known, The Flavian Amphitheater. The jaw-dropping 1st century arena was constructed under the rule of the Flavian Dynasty - hence its name - with construction initiated in 72 AD by Emperor Vespasian and completed in 80 AD by his son, Titus. The games and circuses, which included exotic animal hunts, naval battles, and gladiatorial combats, welcomed up to 55,000 spectators at a time. Visitors were divided into tier-level seating based on their social and political classes – VIPs like emperors and senators had lower level seats while slaves and women were reserved to the “nosebleeds”.

At its peak, the arena was the focal point of a wide range of entertainment and shows in ancient Rome. A show day often began with an early dawn production featuring dwarves, fighting women and acrobats. Next, a barbaric hunt of wild beasts amused an overzealous crowd. By noon, the most ferocious of the shows featured brutal gladiatorial re-enactments, which represented Rome’s wars with Greece and offered extreme, high-octane, adrenaline-charged entertainment for the throngs of bloodthirsty spectators; it was the most popular form of diversion second only to chariot races at the Circus Maximus.

The largest surviving triumphal arch of ancient Rome is that of Constantine. The 4th century arch stands formidably between the Colosseum and Roman Forum along the triumphal route that Emperors and soldiers would take upon their victorious return from battle. It was erected in 315 BC to commemorate the Roman Emperor Constantine’s victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 BC. It is most unique as it was made up of recycled 1st and 2nd century sculptures from Imperial Rome, most notably the eight white Luna marble medallions which were taken from the Arch of Marcus Aurelius.

The Roman Forum was once the bustling city centre for ancient Romans, nestled between the Palatine and Capitoline hills. Religious basilicas and temples were scattered between political houses and markets and, fortunately for us, many of these structures still remain. The 2nd century Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and 3rd century Arch of Titus are two examples that have withstood the test of time almost flawlessly. While some ruins, like those of the Temple of Saturn, Basilica of Maxentius, Palace of Domitian, Temple of Vesta and Temple of Caesar are not as complete, they still manage to offer an insightful glimpse at the spectacular monuments that once stood in their place.

In 66 AD Vespasian was sent to Israel to suppress a revolt against the Roman occupation but when he became emperor, he was called to return to Rome so his son Titus took his place overseas. In 70 AD, Titus captured Jerusalem and in 79 AD he himself became emperor. Upon his death in 81 AD, the Roman Senate deified him and his brother Domitian - the third member of the Flavian Dynasty - took over as emperor. Emperor Domitian had the Arch of Titus constructed in the same year, commemorating Vespasian and Titus’ victory in the Jewish War with triumphal depictions. Today, it is the oldest standing Roman arch.

According to Roman mythology, the Palatine Hill was the birthplace of Romulus and Remus, the twin-brothers who were suckled by a she-wolf and later became the founders of Rome. Literary sources imply that the city Romulus founded was confined primarily to this hill, where Romulus dwelt in a hut in the south-west corner, which was continually restored in his honour. Embrace the mesmerising panoramic views and architectural remnants of this once mystical site now overtaken with lush vegetation, and take a journey through the ashes of history to imagine the splendour and vivacity of this ancient settlement.

The Sistine Chapel was named after Pope Sixtus IV who had it restored between 1477 and 1480. Sixtus IV was responsible for commissioning the group of Renaissance masters that frescoed the sidewalls to depict the Life of Moses and the Life of Christ. This all-star team included artists like Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Roselli. However, it was Pope Julius II, Sixtus IV’s nephew, who commissioned the great Michelangelo to paint the chapel ceiling. Michelangelo worked painstakingly from 1508 to 1512, perfecting his technique and creating what would become his most renowned masterpiece. It was not until 1535 - over 20 years later - that he returned upon the request of Pope Clement VII and Pope Paul III to paint the Last Judgment on the altar wall.

The 2nd century sculpture of Apollo once belonged to the private collection of Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere. The statue was transferred to the Vatican in 1503, when Rovere was elected Pope and changed his title to Julius II, and it has remained as a highlight of the collection ever since. The marble statue, which is slightly less than real-life sized, depicts Apollo as having just released an arrow from his bow, allowing the static figure to evoke a sense of movement. Many consider the subject not only to be the finest example of Greek art, but also to set the benchmark for what an ideal man should look like.

The stunning 1st century sculpture of Laocoon and his Sons was unearthed from Rome’s Esquiline Hill in 1506. It immediately captured the attention of artists like Michelangelo, and art lovers such as Pope Julius II, who bought it and had it displayed in the Vatican Museum’s Courtyard of the Statues, where it remains today. The near life-sized marble work depicts Trojan priest Laocoon and his two sons, Antiphantes and Thymbraeus, being attacked by sea serpents. The sculpture, made in collaboration by Greek sculptors Agesander, Athenodoros, and Polydorus, is widely respected for its advanced approach to counter balancing and distribution of weight amongst the three figures, in addition to its anatomical precision.

The 1st century marble sculpture of a headless, arm and legless man, brought to the Vatican in 1523 by Pope Clement VII, sits in the centre of the Room of the Muses. While the 2nd century sculpted women that line the border of the room are said to be the true muses, the Belvedere Torso has inspired many great artists throughout the centuries. In fact, Michelangelo himself based many figures of his Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes on this very sculpture. He even went so far as to borrowing the Torso and keeping it in his personal studio where he spent countless hours admiring the figure, making sketches, and pondering its astonishingly accurate anatomy.

The magnificent Gallery of the Tapestries runs 75 meters and boasts a stunning vaulted ceiling painted in 1789 that showcases the impressive “trompe l'oeil” style. Literally translating to “deceive the eye” in French, the style is named after its illusory technique to paint things so realistically that they appear to be three-dimensional. So while the ceiling appears to be textured, it is in fact only paint. The massive tapestries that line the walls were made in Brussels by the School of Pieter Van Aelst’s, but were based on drawings by students of Raphael. They were commissioned by Pope Clement VII to adorn the walls of the Sistine Chapel where they remained from 1531 to 1838.

The 120-meter-long Gallery of Maps appears to glisten and sparkle as light beams shine through the windows onto its golden interior. 40 frescoed maps adorn the walls, hence the name, representing the Italian regions and Papal properties that existed during the papacy of Gregory XIII from 1572 to 1585. A masterful and highly advanced geographer of the time, Ignazio Danti, designed the topographical maps which would be painted into the plaster of the gallery walls between 1580 and 1585. Considering the time in which they were made (before airplanes, drones, and satellites) it is quite impressive considering the maps are said to be about 80% accurate.

St Peter’s Square spans an impressive 320 meters long and 240 meters wide, giving it the capacity to host more than 250,000 people at a time. Famous Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini headed its construction from 1656 to 1667 by commission of Pope Alexander XII. 284 massive white columns, divided into 4 rows, flank the square boasting 140 statues of saints on top that overlook the plaza from nearly every direction. At its centre, an ancient Egyptian obelisk stands at nearly 25 meters high with stunning fountains on either side. From above, the piazza resembles the shape of a keyhole, which makes reference to the keys handed to Peter by Christ: the Key to the Church and the Key to Heaven.

Italy’s largest, richest and holiest church rests on a plot where an earlier 4th century basilica once stood. In the mid 15th century, a plan was set to replace Constantine’s 349 AD church with a bigger, better version. After 120 years of construction, St Peter’s Basilica was completed in 1626. Its lavish interior contains masterful works of art such as Michelangelo’s iconic “Pietà” sculpture and Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s bronze Baldachin, which towers over the high altar beneath the Basilica’s dome. The dome, designed in part by Michelangelo, reaches an impressive height of 119 meters and can be reached by elevator or scaling 551 steps.

Michelangelo’s hauntingly beautiful marble depiction of “La Pietà” is one of the most iconic and recognisable images in Catholicism. His chiseled masterpiece features the post-crucifixion body of Christ resting lifelessly across his mother’s lap. Layers of fabric drape over Mary as she mourns the death of her only child. When Michelangelo was questioned about his decision to make Mary look so young (far too young to be the mother of a 30 year old man), he explained that her complexion remained youthful due to her purity in mind, body, and spirit. Michelangelo was said to have considered this to be his life’s greatest work. In fact, he was so proud of it that he even carved his name across Mary’s sash, ensuring that no one else would ever receive credit for it.

The 95-foot-tall bronze Baldachin stands directly beneath Michelangelo’s cupola at the church’s main altar, marking St. Peter’s tomb below. Baroque artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini was only 25 years old when Pope Urban VIII called upon him to design the massive canopy. From 1624 to 1633, Bernini depended on both sculptural and architectural skills to realise the masterpiece that we see today. Sturdy marble platforms boast four spiralling bronze pillars that corkscrew upwards and support an elaborate canopy of wood gilded in bronze. After its inauguration in 1633, Bernini was commissioned to take on other works for the church, including the design for St. Peter’s Square.