Jaunted

Churches / Italy / Tourism / → All Tags

The Disneyfied Churches of Italy

We all know about tourists being insensitive boors in churches -- talking too loudly, taking lots of photos when its forbidden. But what about the churches that have turned into theme parks and brought some of that bad behavior on themselves?

Just back from visiting a bunch of Italian churches, Bill Fink found a few that fall in that category:

Then visit Florence's Brancacci Chapel -- but only after you have stopped at the glassed-in ticket booth or booked online. The chapel requires reservations on the Web (major credit cards accepted) for an allocated visiting time slot.

The chapel contains a beautiful and heartfelt fresco depicting the agony and shame of Adam and Eve as they are expelled from Eden. For 5.50 euros (about $6.70 U.S.), you can stand and appreciate the sublime expression of original sin, the cornerstone moment of Christianity. But after you use up your 10 minutes, a shrill guard with a stop watch will expel you as well.

As the sign in their garden says, "Do not linger." The only thing the chapel lacks is a wall to drop down between you and the attraction as time expires, like a third-rate Tenderloin peep show.