The eternal city, which makes tourists from all over the world fall in love with it, is proud of its rich cultural heritage. The Italian capital, where the breath of history is felt like nowhere else, does not hide artistic values, but exposes them for viewing in order to acquaint guests with the past and present. No wonder they say that in no other city in the world there are so many museums as in beautiful Rome.
Of course, it is impossible to get around all the museums of Rome in a short amount of time, so let's try to take a virtual tour of the interesting cultural sites of the city.
Little Italian Louvre
Let's start our journey from the Borghese Gallery located in the vicinity of the capital of Italy. It is considered the most desirable object for tourists who dream of visiting the iconic museums of Rome (Italy). Owing its appearance to an avid art-loving cardinal, the famous landmark holds many secrets.
Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who stops at nothing, who was said to have even stolen famous paintings on his orders, thought about building a villa in the outskirts of the city. Having a good collection of sculptures and paintings, he wished to place the works of art in a beautiful building. This is how the famous gallery appeared - a worthy frame for cultural treasures that all travelers dream of seeing.
Unfortunately, after the death of Borghese, some valuable exhibits disappeared without a trace. At the beginning of the 20th century, the museum was bought by the Italian government, and all art lovers were able to get acquainted with a unique collection of sculptures and paintings.
A treasure chest hard to get into
The Italian Treasury has the world's largest collection of works by Caravaggio and sculptures by Bernini. Now the eyes of the general public are presented with more than 500 paintings and several hundred sculptural creations. Tourists' spirits freeze with delight at the sight of the gallery itself with luxurious frescoes, mosaic floors, beautiful stucco, painted walls.
Numerous halls where unique masterpieces are kept are open to all visitors to the city, but getting into them is more difficult than in other institutions in Italy. The thing is that there are no tickets in the free sale, and only two hundred lucky people will be able to enter inside for two hours. True, for art lovers there is an opportunity to pre-order tickets online to the small Roman Louvre.
The oldest museum in the world
The next stop on our journey is the Capitoline Museum in Rome, whichin importance can be compared with the Hermitage. The Italian landmark, which began its history in the 15th century with a collection of antique bronzes donated by Pope Sixtus IV, delights with its magnificence. A whole complex of art galleries located on the Capitoline Hill - a symbol of the power of Ancient Rome - will help you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of art.
The oldest museum in the world is an architectural ensemble consisting of three palaces connected by underground passages and the Capitoline Square. The cultural monument of Rome is of great interest to tourists. Archaeological finds, antique masterpieces, collections of classical sculpture, an art gallery, a numismatic museum and an exhibition of jewelry are presented here.
Complex of four branches
Of course, no one will be able to see the best museums in Rome in a short amount of time. But it is impossible not to visit the complex, founded at the end of the 19th century, consisting of several parts that store artifacts from ancient Roman times. A local landmark, known far beyond Italy, is famous for its richest collection, which will be appreciated by lovers of antiquity.
The National Museum of Rome, which includes four branches at different addresses, will tell about the ancient history of the city. The magnificent Massimo Palace will introduce you to an extensive collection of sculptures, sarcophagi, frescoes and tombstones.
The Baths of Diocletian, on the ruins of which the church was erected, keep a collection of epigraphy, which includes more than 10thousands of illustrated inscriptions.
The entire history of the development of the ancient city is presented in the crypt of Balba and the archaeological finds of scientists are on display.
The luxurious palace of Palazzo Altemps will attract attention with sculptures preserved from ancient times.
The most unusual museum
Museums in Rome are so diverse that I want to talk about the most unusual of them, and now we are going to the church, which is located near the Vatican. The Gothic building, decorated with marble sculptures of the dead, looking up with hope, makes a dual impression. The Museum of the Lost Souls in Purgatory is a large collection of evidence that dead sinners give various signs to the living.
A priest from Marseille traveled the world looking for proof of the existence of the afterlife. A small collection is located inside the church and impresses visitors. Here you can see a nightgown with traces left by a dead mother who appeared to her son. A woman who reproached her offspring for a riotous lifestyle burned her fingers.
Scorched handprints of people who got into Purgatory and begged for help are presented on prayer books, tabletops, and pillows. The souls of the deceased asked to pray for them and left traces so that their relatives would believe them. Supernatural incidents are direct evidence that sinners are trying to redeem themselves and move to heaven.
It is noteworthy that for many years the Vatican, denying the place of suffering of the soul, advocates the closure of the museum,beyond the usual tourist destinations.
Pasta Museum
While looking at the unique museums of Rome, one cannot ignore the beautiful building, the expositions of which are dedicated to the product that has become a symbol of Italy. Eleven halls of the famous landmark will tell you about the history of pasta and the secrets of its preparation. It is interesting that the Greeks invented the national dish, and the inhabitants of the country learned how to preserve the product in solid form.
Our little trip is coming to an end. Of course, even walking along the ancient streets of the beautiful city, you can get acquainted with the most famous monuments of the capital of Italy. However, the numerous museums of Rome will give unforgettable emotions and vivid impressions, and the fascinating stories of the guides will be remembered for a long time.
Good news – since summer 2014, admission to government offices on the first Sunday of the month is free for everyone.
