GALLERIA DELLE CARTE GEOGRAFICHE
A gallery dedicated to maps in Rome.
Gregory XIII (1502 - 1572 - 1585) wanted this 120 m long gallery of geographical maps to be decorated with 40 geographical maps reproducing the provinces of Italy and the Papal States, thus following Roman and then medieval fashion of representing maps on the walls of palaces. It is also a precious geographical testimony of the 16th century. You will notice that some regions seem to be represented backwards: it is not a mistake of the artist, the uses were simply different and it was not mandatory to locate the north in the upper part! Ignazio Danti, an astronomer whose research led to the creation of the Gregorian calendar, was responsible for this gallery, which was painted between 1580 and 1583. The designer's signature is in the first fresco on the right, entering the gallery while the Pope's arms overlook the front door. The floor of the gallery that the visitor walks through represents the Apennine chain, naturally distributing on the left wall the provinces of Italy between the mountain and the Tyrrhenian Sea, and on the right wall those descending towards the Adriatic Sea. At the end of the corridor, you will also see two maps of Italy and representations of the greatest Italian ports of the 16th century: Venice, Ancona, Genoa and Civitavecchia. It is one of the most impressive galleries in the Vatican museums, take the time to admire the detail and precision of the maps.
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