Gone were the crowds -- but the lucky few who ventured to the reopened Vatican Museums yesterday, February 2nd, were treated to centuries' worth of sumptuous artworks, including inside the Sistine Chapel.
Ahead of the closure for 88 days due to covid-19 restrictions, the collection of museums -- spread over seven kilometres (4.3 miles) within the Vatican -- opened its doors to a mostly local public, capitalising on the empty galleries and a dearth of tourists.
"Today is a celebration," said Director Barbara Jatta, who welcomed photographers and television crews inside.
Director Jatta had expressed much the same sentiment in June, however, when the museums reopened after being shuttered in March as the pandemic struck Italy before engulfing the rest of Europe, according to AFP.
After the opening, first in line were tour guides Martina Sorrenti and Vincenzo Spina, who, in normal times, spend five days a week inside guiding visitors.
