Raphael's Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello) are four interconnected rooms in the Vatican which have frescoes painted by the renowned Renaissance artist Raphael (1483 - 1520). These late Renaissance frescoes are the second-most famous in the Vatican's collection, only behind the fresco adorning the roof of the Sistine Chapel.
Raphael's themes for his frescoes were religion and politics; he often swapped portraits of the incumbent pope for the faces of important figures. Originally commissioned by Pope Julius II in the early 1500s, the frescoes were patronized by Pope Leo X after Julius died in 1513. When Raphael also died in 1520, artists from his studio finished the paintings.
The 'Segnatura' room was the first to be decorated and contains Raphael's most famous painting, The School of Athens. The other rooms are known as 'Constantine', 'Heliodorus' and 'Fire in the Borgo'.
Raphael's Rooms are part of the Vatican Museums. Metro line A stops Ottaviano-S.Pietro-Musei Vaticano or Cipro. Tramway 19 to Piazza del Risorgimento, or various buses. You can also walk from the centre of Rome across Ponte Sant'Angelo and through the Piazza san Pietro for the most breathtaking approach, then head right towards Via Vaticano.
Note that, especially in summer, the entry queues to the Vatican can be very long, stretching around the block. Pre-booking a ticket (see the Tours & Tickets tab) can get around this and save you a lot of time.
