Vatican City, Italy (Enclave of Rome): Vatican Museums: Gallery of Tapestries: Nativity of Christ

Abstract

The photo shows part of a tapestry designed by Raphael within the Gallery of Tapestries (Galleria degli Arazzi), which is part of the Vatican Museums. These are public museums that display about 20,000 of 70K works collected by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries. The museums were founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century. Only the Louvre in France receives more annual visitors than the Vatican Museums. The museums consist of 24 galleries, with the Sistine Chapel being the last room visited. The tapestry pictured is from the left side of the Gallery of Tapestries, which features a life cycle of Christ through twelve tapestries designed by Raphael. It is of the birth of Jesus and depicts Mary laying the baby in a manger.