Context brings the brightest minds to your living room with perspective-shifting online lectures.

Vatican City: Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica with Cecilia Martini

Vatican City: Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica with Cecilia Martini


No events are scheduled at this time. Want to be notified when it’s back? Click the blue button to the right and we’ll notify you.

Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Context's online seminars are designed for travelers looking to enhance their in-person experiences at famous landmark destinations in cities around the world.

No trip to Rome would be complete without experiencing the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. This virtual experience has been designed to compliment Context's Vatican Highlights Tour with Skip-the-Line Tickets.

During our time together, a local expert historian will contextualize these remarkable collections of priceless art, teach us to decipher religious iconography, and provide practical information which will prove useful to enjoying the Vatican City in person. Our expert will answer all of the most frequently asked questions by visitors to the Vatican, and leave plenty of time for learners to ask their own. No question is off-limits, we can ask: "When did the Vatican start?" "What is a fresco?" "Are Popes allowed to get married?"

The Vatican collections hold several of the world's most treasures sculptures and paintings. Our conversation begins with the world's most famous Renaissance frescoes – such as The School of Athens by Raphael. From here we will examine a handful of key works, in order to have a sense of the breadth of the collection. Together we will examine Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, obtaining a closer view than would be possible in person. Our virtual visit to the Vatican concludes in the hallowed chapels of St. Peter's Basilica. 

A crowded in-person visit to the Vatican can be overwhelming to the senses. However, in this introductory virtual tour, our local expert will contextualize Vatican City's tremendous impact on history and the highlights of its collection of works. 

Eager to learn more? Get inspired with deeper learning on Roman Art, History, and Cuisine:
Or explore Rome on a private walking tour with Context:

Cecilia is an art historian and a native Roman with a Master's degree in Medieval and Renaissance art from the Sapienza University of Rome. Although her specialty is painting and decorative arts, she has a broad knowledge of the history of Rome and a personal passion for ancient history, which she shares on many antiquity-themed itineraries. Cecilia has worked actively in the past as a lecturer, teacher, and curator of exhibitions. She had been a staff member of the didactive service of the Vatican Museums, the Galleria Doria Pamphili and the Galleria Colonna where she still frequently consults. As a licensed guide for Rome and Florence and with a specialized teaching degree, she has more than 20 years of experience in leading highly-qualified tours.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 6 reviews
100%
(6)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
S
Sandra Bessières (San Francisco, US)

An excellent presentation of the history of Vatican City and how St. Peter’s Basilica came to be, along with the Sistine Chapel.

M
Mary Ferranti (Washington, US)
Great!

Guest did not leave comment

M
Maruchi Santana (Brooklyn, US)
A passionate presenter!

I love every lecture I have seen with Cecilia Martini, and I hope I can meet her in person in Rome next year. Cecilia has a deep knowledge of Rome's art history and delivers a presentation filled with passion. I love when a presenter uses video, visual timelines and charts, this lecture had them all!

A
Anne Osborn (Chico, US)
Outstanding and thoroughly enjoyable

really enjoyed how the outline became well developed throughout the presentation. Ms. Martini is engaging and knowledgeable about Rome and the topic, The Vatican

C
C.F. (Santa Monica, US)
Wonderful as always.

I have done several of these with Dr. Martini, and they are always more informative, interesting and nuanced than I expect. Wonderful information, presentation and historical references and explanations.

Customer Reviews

Based on 6 reviews
100%
(6)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
S
Sandra Bessières (San Francisco, US)

An excellent presentation of the history of Vatican City and how St. Peter’s Basilica came to be, along with the Sistine Chapel.

M
Mary Ferranti (Washington, US)
Great!

Guest did not leave comment

M
Maruchi Santana (Brooklyn, US)
A passionate presenter!

I love every lecture I have seen with Cecilia Martini, and I hope I can meet her in person in Rome next year. Cecilia has a deep knowledge of Rome's art history and delivers a presentation filled with passion. I love when a presenter uses video, visual timelines and charts, this lecture had them all!

A
Anne Osborn (Chico, US)
Outstanding and thoroughly enjoyable

really enjoyed how the outline became well developed throughout the presentation. Ms. Martini is engaging and knowledgeable about Rome and the topic, The Vatican

C
C.F. (Santa Monica, US)
Wonderful as always.

I have done several of these with Dr. Martini, and they are always more informative, interesting and nuanced than I expect. Wonderful information, presentation and historical references and explanations.