The dawn tour
It’s 5.30am in the Vatican City. The sun has not yet risen over the Holy See. But Gianna Crea is up. He’s been up at this time every day for the past six years, he has to be. Gianna Crea is head clavigero at the Vatican – the keeper of the keys he is a man with many doors to unlock. The tour itself is staggering. Many people find the experience of seeing the Sistine Chapel hard to put into words. This effect is even stronger when you are standing there, alone, the sun slowly rising over the Roman sky.
In Conversation with the Clavigero of the Vatican
We caught up with Gianni Crea, the Head Clavigero of the Vatican for over a decade, to find out what it means to be the key holder and what you can expect when you meet him for a morning tour at dawn.