May 2015 - Rome, Italy

Rome has a wonderful collection of extravagantly beautiful churches. Some we had planned to visity, some we just saw from the street and went in. There were yet others that we didn't have a chance to make it too, but here are the ones we did! In addition to beautiful architecture, there were great pieces of art including some by Michelangelo.

A relatively young obelisk, this one is only 2500 years old. The top and bottom are an abomination of art.	The basilica Santa Maria sopra Minerva	The gem of the basilica, Michelangelo's Christ the Redeemer
A relatively young obelisk, this one is only 2500 years old. The top and bottom are an abomination of art.	The basilica Santa Maria sopra Minerva	The gem of the basilica, Michelangelo's Christ the Redeemer
	The main dome	Inside the basilica, the Carafa chapel, featuring colorful 15th century frescoes
	The main dome	Inside the basilica, the Carafa chapel, featuring colorful 15th century frescoes
Plaques on the outside of the church marking the water level of historic floods, before the Tiber had been tamed	Some of the flood levels were _really_ high!	The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs, built inside the Baths of Diocletian. Featuring beautiful Roman marble floors.
Plaques on the outside of the church marking the water level of historic floods, before the Tiber had been tamed	Some of the flood levels were _really_ high!	The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs, built inside the Baths of Diocletian. Featuring beautiful Roman marble floors.
A meridian line, a sort of solar clock, on which is marked Easter	An enormous original Roman marble column
A meridian line, a sort of solar clock, on which is marked Easter	An enormous original Roman marble column
The archbasilica of St. John Lateran	The statues along the top	The papal stamp on the outside
The archbasilica of St. John Lateran	The statues along the top	The papal stamp on the outside
Inside the church, with statues of the apostles along the sides	Philip the apostle, crushing a dragon?..	The ornate ceiling
Inside the church, with statues of the apostles along the sides	Philip the apostle, crushing a dragon?..	The ornate ceiling
The church organ	A pope's tomb	The papal throne
The church organ	A pope's tomb	The papal throne
The Last Supper, in gold	Outside is the Lateran obelisk, the largest standing ancient Egyptian obelisk in the world!	Church of the Jesuits, the first-ever baroque facade
The Last Supper, in gold	Outside is the Lateran obelisk, the largest standing ancient Egyptian obelisk in the world!	Church of the Jesuits, the first-ever baroque facade
Inside the church	Nearly every surface covered in painting	A mix of painting, sculpture, and gold all in one ceiling work
Inside the church	Nearly every surface covered in painting	A mix of painting, sculpture, and gold all in one ceiling work
On the ceiling, painting overflows onto gold moulding	Michelangelo's Moses, at the St. Peter in Chains church	With horns thanks to a Vulgate mistranslation
On the ceiling, painting overflows onto gold moulding	Michelangelo's Moses, at the St. Peter in Chains church	With horns thanks to a Vulgate mistranslation
	The main dome of the church	A pretty spooky tomb
	The main dome of the church	A pretty spooky tomb