Take advantage of your stay at our charming hotel in Rome and set out to explore the Vatican
Vatican Museum
Location & Comfort
The 9Hotel Cesàri is ideal for your visit to the Vatican
Ideally located in the historic heart of Rome, the 9Hotel Cesàri is the perfect starting point for exploring the Vatican. Our boutique hotel allows you to combine an elegant stay right in the city center with easy access to the Vatican, all while enjoying a delightful immersion in the streets of Rome.
Our 4-star hotel is located just a 25-minute walk from the Vatican. The walk there is particularly pleasant, as it takes you through the historic center via Piazza Navona, before crossing the Tiber River over the Vittorio Emanuele II Bridge to arrive right in front of the walls of the Vatican City. After a busy day of sightseeing, you can relax in the tranquility of our rooms or enjoy a refreshing drink on our rooftop terrace with panoramic views. Our staff is at your service to guide and advise you, ensuring your stay in Rome is unforgettable.
Museums
The Vatican Museums: A Global Treasure
Founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II and opened to the public in 1747, the Vatican Museums stand as one of the most important and most-visited museum complexes in the world. It houses a vast collection of more than 50,000 works of art and antiquities that trace humanity’s cultural and artistic heritage across the millennia.
As they wander through its galleries, art lovers can admire incredible collections of paintings, sculptures, mosaics, and tapestries. Among the must-see highlights are the spectacular Gallery of Maps, rich in ancient and wall maps, as well as the Hall of the Candelabra. Masterpieces of religious painting are also prominently featured, highlighting works by Renaissance masters such as Raphael and Caravaggio, alongside major sections dedicated to Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Asian, and African art.
History & Organization
A vast complex of galleries and papal palaces
To fully appreciate the richness of the Vatican Museums, it is important to understand that they are not a single monument, but rather an interconnected network of museums, chapels, and inner courtyards spread throughout the Apostolic Palaces. This monumental complex has evolved over the centuries under the guidance of successive popes, who have enriched the collections.
The entire tour spans several kilometers of galleries and requires careful planning to ensure you don’t miss anything. The complex encompasses not only thematic exhibition spaces but also major historical sites such as the Raphael Rooms (the former apartments of Pope Julius II), the Borgia Apartments, and the famous Belvedere Courtyard. Each section reflects the artistic tastes of successive popes, making the tour a chronological and thematic journey through the evolution of Western art and ancient civilizations.
Renaissance
The Sistine Chapel, the jewel of the Apostolic Palace
Commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV in the 15th century and consecrated in 1483, the Sistine Chapel is one of the most famous religious and artistic sites in the world. Located within the Apostolic Palace, which serves as the pope’s official residence, it draws crowds thanks to the genius of the Italian Renaissance immortalized on its walls.
The chapel owes its international fame to its monumental frescoes painted by the greatest masters of the era, including Sandro Botticelli, Raphael, and above all, Michelangelo. Michelangelo adorned the vault and the back wall with legendary biblical scenes, such as The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgment. Beyond the paintings, the chapel impresses with the intricacy of its decorative stucco work, its floor mosaics, and its carved wooden furnishings, including the prestigious papal throne.
Masterpieces
The Vatican Pinacoteca and the Genius of da Vinci
Founded in the 19th century, the Vatican Pinacoteca is an exceptional art gallery entirely dedicated to masterpieces of painting and sculpture. It houses an impressive collection of major works from the history of art, offering a unique overview of the evolution of Italian and European painting.
The galleries of the Vatican Pinacoteca house priceless works by Fra Angelico, Fra Bartolomeo, Caravaggio, and Raphael. It is also here that visitors can admire one of the rare and precious paintings by Leonardo da Vinci preserved in Rome: “Saint John the Baptist.” This famous painting depicts the saint in a desert landscape, his arm raised in a gesture of prophecy, and perfectly illustrates the artist’s mastery of chiaroscuro and his skill in capturing the complexity of human expression.
Ancient Egypt
The Antiquities of the Gregorian Egyptian Museum
Founded in the 19th century at the initiative of Pope Gregory XVI, the Gregorian Egyptian Museum is a space entirely dedicated to the preservation and study of the art and culture of ancient Egypt. A great lover of antiquities, the pontiff had collected these pieces to share his passion for history and preserve these treasures for the future.
Having grown over time through numerous donations and acquisitions, it is now recognized as one of the world’s most extensive museums of Egyptian art. The exhibition captivates visitors with its collection of monumental sculptures, statues of pharaohs, and deities. Delicate murals, ancient papyri, and everyday objects such as jewelry and household items allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in the daily life and beliefs of this brilliant ancient civilization.
Ancient Sculptures
The Chiaramonti Museum and the Greco-Roman Heritage
The Chiaramonti Museum was founded in the 19th century to house the magnificent collection of ancient sculptures amassed by successive popes over the centuries. It is named after Pope Pius VII, whose family name was Chiaramonti before his election, and who wished to provide an exceptional setting for these works of antiquity.
This museum houses an impressive array of ancient marble sculptures, including statues of gods and goddesses, busts of prominent figures of the time, and highly detailed portraits of Roman citizens. Spanning a vast artistic period from Classical Greece to Imperial Rome, this gallery offers visitors a rare opportunity to understand the aesthetic standards and cultural trends that shaped the ancient world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know before you go
How far is the 9Hotel Cesàri from the Vatican?
The 9Hotel Cesàri is just a 25-minute walk from the Vatican. The route takes you through the historic center and passes by the famous Piazza Navona, among other landmarks.How are the Vatican Museums organized?
It is a vast complex consisting of several thematic museums (the Pinacoteca, the Egyptian Museum, the Chiaramonti Museum, etc.), connecting galleries (such as the Gallery of Maps), and historic chapels linked together within the papal palaces.Where is the Sistine Chapel located in the Vatican?
The Sistine Chapel is an integral part of the Vatican Museums complex and is located inside the Apostolic Palace, the pope’s official residence.Which major work by Leonardo da Vinci can be seen in the Vatican?
The Vatican Pinacoteca houses the famous painting “Saint John the Baptist,” one of the few paintings by Leonardo da Vinci on display in Rome.
