The Sistine Chapel

A few days ago, while I was running, I heard on the radio a piece of news about the Sistine Chapel. Apparently, the air pollution brought on by tourists flocking has had a negative effect on the chapel's frescoes. People in charge explained that they started to notice it four years ago and for that reason they decided to install new air conditioning to help to preserve one of the best pieces of art in the world.

Some news point out that the managers of the Sistine Chapel consider far too much the amount of people that visited it; they have even threatened with putting a limited number of visitors to preserve the paintings. Such a great piece of art shouldn’t be forbidden for people.

One of my dreams was to visit Rome. Greece and Rome are the parents of our culture and I was willing to visit one of the most important cities in our history and that gathered so many pieces of arts. Since I studied History of Art, I wanted to visit Rome because I wanted to see a lot of things and enjoy having a look to some of the best creations of a human being.

Of course, the visit to the Vatican Museum was a must. There were two options: quick or in depth visit. Obviously, we picked the second one because I wasn’t going to miss such an opportunity. I am not sure If I will be back ever again.

It was one of my dreams because I really wanted to see the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel and contemplate one of the best works of the great Michel Angelo. The view didn’t disappoint me.

I remember staying still in the room, looking up my head and enjoying that incredible painting. I wondered how this genius was able to create such an incredible piece of art that has become one of the essential art works in history.

The painting, the colours, all the work behind that fresco... When I think about it I feel a real privileged  person because I am sure a lot of people would pay to stay in that room enjoying the view. I have to admit that I would have been there four hours but, of course, I had a lot to things to do.

What really annoyed me were the hundreds of people that got in the Sistine Chapel and walked out without lifting their heads to look the frescoes. I understand that not everybody likes art, I understand that maybe not everybody is conscious of the opportunity they have, but I don’t understand why if you have the option to be one minute, just one minute, looking to those magnificent painting they just don’t do it.

I remember that Jéssica and I talked about it when we finished the visit and we were absolutely flabbergasted. Why if you pay a ticket you don’t stop in the best room of all? I would have liked to ask them and tell them the mistake they were doing and explained to them the importance of that painting. I hope that if they ever go back they don’t make the same mistake. I can assure that if I am lucky to go to Rome again, I will visit the Sistine Chapel without a doubt. It is an experience one never forgets.

Free museums

Jéssica has always wanted to visit the Museu Nacioanl d’Art de Catalunua (MNAC) which is in Montjuïc and is one of the most famous museums in Barcelona. I remember I visited once when I was younger and yesterday I realized that I shouldn’t wait so much to go back.

 

After thinking about IT and finding out the prices of the MNAC, we decided to go this past Sunday. First Sundays of each month some museums in Barcelona are ticket free so we thought it would be a good idea. Doing sightseeing in your own city it is not very usual and I think we should do it more often.

After going up all the stairs and having a view of the city from the top (Barcelona looks really nice) we went into the Museum. The first surprise was that there wasn’t any queue to go in. I honestly thought we were going to have to wait a few minutes and I even thought that maybe we wouldn’t be able to go in. I was absolutely wrong.  

About this issue there are two things I want to point out: first of all, in a way, I was happy not to queue up because I wasn’t in a mood to stay long time in the sun. However, it is a bit disappointing that having the opportunity of visiting one of our most famous museums nearly nobody was there. I am the first one to think that culture is too expensive, but yesterday it was free and it is a good opportunity. It is true I don’t usually take advantage of these offers but I will try now.

The visit around the museum was good. I really liked the first part of the Medieval Romanesque art because some of the pieces of art are quite known here in Catalonia and I remember them when I studied history of art. The painting in the churches of Santa Maria de Taüll and Sant Climent of Taüll, for example, are well known and deserve the visit to the museum. 

Rest of paintings, photos… are nice but after being in some of the bests museums in the world I wasn’t that impressed. However, I wouldn’t mind going back in the future because it is always nice to have a look and see some of our best pieces of art. After finishing the visit I felt really happy. First of all because it was an interesting activity to do in a Sunday morning and, secondly, because I think it is important to learn our history, to go through time and see what our predecessors were able to do hundreds of years ago. Keep learning is something absolutely important for us.