Eternal Tours Rome

The Sistine Chapel is one of three Papal Chapels which comprise the Apostolic Vatican Palace and seat of the "conclave" (from the latin "cum clave", literally "locked") - the Assembly of Cardinals called to elect a new Pope. Built over the basement of a sanctuary founded by Pope Nicholas III around 1278, the majestic chapel was erected by Pope Sixtus IV and takes it's name after him. It's vast nave has the same measurements of Solomon’s temple as described in the Old Testament (40.93 metres long, 13.41 metres wide, and 20.71 metres high). The "lowered vault" of the ceiling is divided into two sections by a marble transenna. The construction of the Chapel was part of wider renovation work which took place during the temporary transfer of the Pope’s seat to Avignon, from 1309 to 1423. Even now, it's attribution is not 100% uncertain, but many accept Giovanni dei Dolci as the architect. Works commenced around 1473 and were completed...

We are now offering a new tour entitled "Extended Vatican Museums". It's our longest and most comprehensive tour of the Vatican. For the best selection of private tours in Rome visit When In Rome Tours !

We're in the low season. Rome in February is a curious thing, mosquitoes are making a comeback, weather is improving on the quiet and while the number of tourists in town seems to be set fair, it's actually borderline negligible. It was interesting to note at the weekend that Irish pubs across Rome were almost empty of Irishmen, and two billion of them live here. They were out in force to watch English football's greatest derby (Man U v Man C), and England Rugby's destruction of Italy in the Six Nations at Twickers on Saturday, but no sign of any of them on Sunday bar a token gathering in the Rack and a family affair in the Den. Finnegans was fun as ever, but there were almost as many Lazio fans watching their team win in Brescia as Italians supporting Ireland as they do Celtic, Sinn Fein, ad nauseam. We had the pleasure of meeting a group of rugby fans from Devon in England between two watering holes before the Ireland v France match. They seemed to be more interested ...