| What is it? |
A double helix staircase in a restricted section of the Vatican Museums! |
| What makes it historical? |
Popes were pretty well off in the 15th and 16th centuries, but they still had to traipse up long stairwells in heavy robes to get back to their apartments. That’s where Donato Bramante, one of the key architects for St. Peter’s Basilica came into the picture! Pope Julius II commissioned him in 1505 to build a new staircase that would let popes ride carts from the street level up to the Belvedere Palace! He accomplished this by designing a double helix staircase with two parallel levels connected by doric columns, one level for carts going up and one for carts going down! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? |
HERE’S HOW:
- Buy some Vatican merchandise!
- Donate to the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
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| Where is this place? |
Viale Vaticano
00165 Roma RM
Italy
From Firenze: ~174mi (281km) — 2.9hrs
From Napoli: ~142mi (229km) — 2.4hrs
From Roma: ~1mi (2km) — 0.1hrs
From Venezia: ~329mi (530km) — 5.5hrs |
| When should I go? |
Tours run Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM and the last Sunday of the month from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM! |
