Good morning friends!
As promised, in this strange time when the world has been reduced to our home, we want to keep you travelling.
No, you didn’t misunderstand: travel.
Don’t panic: you won’t need to pack your bags or rush to book a plane ticket.
We will do a digital journey, discovering the beauty and curiosities of our city and country.
What do you have to do? Make yourself comfortable and relax (yes, the sofa is fine).
At the end of this article you will find a video that will make you live a unique experience.
But first, we would like to immerse you in the life of the protagonist: Raphael.
Are you ready to get on a time machine?
Our first stop: The Renaissance.
The destination: Urbino, April 6, 1483.
Urbino: the town of Raphael
Why Urbino?
In short, it’s not really the first city to think of when talking about the Renaissance.
But, here was born the extraordinary Raphael.
Not the coconut-covered chocolate or one of the four Ninja Turtles.
The painter Raphael!
So April 6, 1483.
First curiosity: April 6th is the day of both Raphael’s birth and death.
Let’s say it wasn’t the most beautiful present for his 37th birthday.
37 years old, you got that right.
But know that these were years of intense and tireless work.
Indeed, Raphael was a travel lover…like us!
His favorite destinations were Perugia, Florence and.. obviously Rome.
His passion: painting.
From a very young age his teachers tell of how difficult it was to keep him away from the drawing board.
If he couldn’t find a sheet of paper in the house, he was content with the wall (imagine the joy of mom and dad).
Raphael and Rome
During his career, Raphael knew many exceptional artists, such as the “little known” Michelangelo.
The two artists met in Rome.
Not to taste the famous “cacio e pepe” in some tavern in Trastevere, but for business.
They were both hired by the same “boss”: Pope Julius II.
It’s hard to know who had the highest salary.
Two exceptional painters, but definitely different. If Raphael was very calm and playful, with the joke always ready, Michelangelo was definitely more gruff and always agitated.
Raphael an archaeologist?
Raphael dedicated his life to another mission: rebuilding ancient Rome.
Yes, we can consider him a colleague, an archaeologist like us.
In Rome, he noticed that some monuments and statues were in a state of abandonment.
Something had to be done.
So he dedicated himself to many restorations and one special amazing project: to create the map of the ancient Rome.
Today it is Raphael himself who appears on our maps: for the avenues of Rome, many are those who seek him.
Villa Farnesina, Galleria Borghese, Palazzo Barberini, are just some of the places where you can find him.
Raphael at the Vatican
An unmissable stop remains the Vatican Palaces.
Today we want to propose to you to visit it in a unique way: only you, the guide and Raphael.
The Scuderie of the Quirinale have in fact made this wonderful video to let you admire, in all their splendor, the colors and beauty of his painting.
Have a good view!
To the next virtual journey!
Leave us a comment or propose a destination for the next digital journey!
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