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St. Peter's Basilica: the Pieta and the dome
The Pieta (c. 1499) is in the first chapel on the right as you enter the Basilica, behind glass since an attack in 1972. Michelangelo was 24 when he finished it and reportedly carved his name on the band across Mary's chest after overhearing visitors attribute it to another sculptor: the only work he ever signed. The dome above the tomb of St. Peter was designed by Michelangelo from 1546 onward and completed after his death by Giacomo della Porta. Entry to the Basilica is free. Climbing the dome requires a separate ticket available on site.
Must-book
Sistine Chapel: ceiling and Last Judgment
The ceiling (1508-12) was commissioned by Julius II and covers approximately 500 square metres. The nine central scenes from Genesis run along the vault: from the Separation of Light from Darkness to the Drunkenness of Noah. Surrounding them are the twelve Prophets and Sibyls, the Ancestors of Christ, and the four corner pendentives with Old Testament scenes. The Last Judgment (1536-41) covers the entire altar wall, commissioned by Paul III twenty-five years later: a single densely populated field of bodies rising, falling, and being sorted, with Christ as judge at the centre. The Sistine Chapel is accessed through the Vatican Museums. Book skip-the-line tickets or a guided tour.
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San Pietro in Vincoli: the Moses
The Moses (c. 1513-15) is the central figure of the tomb of Julius II, a commission that occupied Michelangelo for over forty years and was never completed as originally planned. The figure is seated, horned (a convention in medieval and Renaissance iconography for Moses, derived from a mistranslation of the Hebrew for "rays of light"), with the tablets of the Law under his right arm and his left hand resting on his beard. The expression is one of barely contained force. The church is a 15-minute walk from the Colosseum, free to enter, and open daily. Visiting early morning or late afternoon avoids the midday tour groups.
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Santa Maria sopra Minerva: the Cristo Portacroce
The Cristo Portacroce (1519-21, also called the Risen Christ) stands to the left of the main altar. It is a standing nude Christ holding the cross, originally intended to be fully unclothed; the bronze drapery covering the lower body was added later by another hand, which Michelangelo strongly objected to. The church is Gothic, built over a temple of Isis and Minerva, near the Pantheon. Opposite the Michelangelo, Fra Angelico's tomb is in the left transept. Free to enter.
Architecture
Piazza del Campidoglio and the Capitoline Hill
The Piazza del Campidoglio was designed by Michelangelo in 1536 at the request of Paul III, who wanted a worthy setting for the visit of Charles V. The trapezoidal plan, the oval pavement pattern, and the positioning of the two flanking palaces (Palazzo dei Senatori and Palazzo dei Conservatori) are all Michelangelo's. The bronze equestrian Marcus Aurelius at the centre is a cast; the original is in the Musei Capitolini. The view from the top of the steps toward St. Peter's dome was also calculated as part of the design. Free to visit at any time.
Context
Palazzo Farnese and the late architecture
Michelangelo took over the construction of Palazzo Farnese in 1546 after the death of Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and added the third floor cornice and the central window of the main facade. The building is now the French Embassy and not normally open to the public, but the exterior is visible from Piazza Farnese. It is worth including on a walk that connects the Campidoglio with the Campo de' Fiori area, both of which are free and in the same neighbourhood.
