vatican museums loggia di raffaello

During his time at the Vatican, Raphael was commissioned the decoration of three loggias of the Apostolic Palace located on three different floors, which are now just known as the Lodges of Raphael, or Vatican Loggia. The artist, helped by some of his students, began work at the end of 1517. Raphael had to deal with in the first place of the loggia on the second floor, the one adjacent to the papal apartments. It is a corridor of about 65x4 meters divided into 13 spans from the vaulted ceiling. The pillars and walls were decorated with stucco and frescoes depicting mythological figures, famous works of art by greek-Roman fashion and historical events in which he was involved the then reigning Pope, Leo X. Underneath each time, Raphael decided instead to paint four different stories from the Old and New Testament. The scope of the project and its brilliant success has earned the nickname "Raphael's Bible to this cycle of frescoes." The loggia on the main floor, called the First Loggia was entirely decorated by pupils of Raphael's workshop, but the paintings, already very damaged, were covered by new frescoes during a nineteenth-century renovation. The loggia on the third floor was painted only after 1550 for the hand of Giovanni da Udine, among the best students of Raphael.

Discover Rome Art!

Find on the map!

What our visitors saying about their experience