|
Page 1 of 2  The Vatican City is an independent state located in Rome in Italy. Vatican lies west of the River Tiber and it is separated from the rest of the city of Rome by a tall wall. The State of Vatican was created in 1929 through the decrees of the Lateran Treaties in response to the unification of Italy and the annexation of Rome in 1870. The Vatican City has its own legislative and executive branches. The Vatican City has an area less than a half of a square kilometer and less than 900 people live here. The Vatican City is the home of the Holy See, the politic center of the Roman Catholic Church, and the jurisdiction of the Pope.
 | | Pope John Paul II |
The Vatican City is an independent state located in Rome in Italy. Vatican lies west of the River Tiber and it is separated from the rest of the city of Rome by a tall wall. The State of Vatican was created in 1929 through the  | | Pope Benedict XVI |
decrees of the Lateran Treaties in response to the unification of Italy and the annexation of Rome in 1870. The Vatican City has its own legislative and executive branches. The Vatican City has an area less than a half of a square kilometer and less than 900 people live here. The Vatican City is the home of the Holy See, the politic center of the Roman Catholic Church, and the jurisdiction of the Pope.
 | | City of Vatican |
And what to see in Vatican City? Vatican is the smallest state in the world. There is a few sights to visit but the Vatican’s sight have a great worldwide importance: The Vatican Museum (Musei Vaticani), the Vatican Gardens (Giardini Vaticani), St. Peter' s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano), and St Peter' s Square (Piazza San Pietro).
 | | St Peter’s Square from hte top |
The town square of the Vatican City, St Peter' s Square (Piazza San Pietro), is a masterpiece of architecture art. The artist Bernini for Pope Alexander VII created it in the 17th century. The square is elliptical in shape and contains a colonnade crested with colossal statues. A large Egyptian obelisk from  Caligula reign period, surrounded by fountains, sits in the middle of the square and an enormous marble platform leads from the square to St. Peter’s Basilica from which the Pope delivers his weekly blessing on Sunday.
 Magnificent St Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano) dominates the St Peter’s Square. The original basilica was built in the 4th century as the final resting-place for the tomb of St Peter. Saint Peter was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, first Bishop of Antioch, and later first Bishop of Rome. Tradition holds that his tomb is below the baldachin and altar;  for this reason, many Popes, starting with the first ones, have been buried there. The current basilica was built in 1626, and was erected over the old Constantinian basilica. The Basilica of Saint Peter, the spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church, ranks seconds among the five major basilicas of Rome. The largest basilica in Christianity covers an area of 5.7 acres and it has a capacity of more than 60,000 people. Most Papal ceremonies  take place at St. Peter's Basilica due to its size, proximity to the Papal residence, and location within the Vatican City walls. The Basilica is replete with sculptures, statues, and other artifacts, the most famous being Michelangelo’s La Pieta.  The main altar holds a bronze-encased throne that is have been used by St Peter. The visitors of St. Peter’s Basilica can climb the steps of the Basilica’s dome to see a panoramic view of the entire city of Rome.
 The Vatican Museum was founded in 1503 when the newly elected Pope, Julius II della Rovere, placed a statue of Apollo in the internal courtyard of the Belvedere Palace. The next artifacts were added through the next two centuries and Benedict XIV and Clement XIII reorganized the collections in 18th century. They founded the Apostolic Library Museums: the Sacred Museum (Museo Sacro ) and the Profane Museum (Museo Profano).  Pope Pius XI inaugurated in 1932 the definitive seat of the Vatican Picture Gallery (the Pinacoteca). The Vatican Museum has 6 sections: the Gregorian Egyptian Museum, the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael's Rooms, the Pinacoteca (the Picture Gallery), and the Ethnological Missionary Museum.
 The most beautiful is the Sistine Chapel where you can admire the wall paintings divided into 5 parts: Ceiling, The Last Judgement, North wall, South wall, and Entrance wall. The Sistine Chapel is the home to the two world-famous Michelangelo frescoes ”The Last Judgement” and ”Genesis”, as well as Boticelli’s ”Temptations of Christ”. 15th century Italian masters created other frescoes. The most beautiful is the central part of the ceiling that presents nine stories of the Genesis: Separation of Light from Darkness, Creation of the sun, moon and planets, Separation of Land from Sea, the Creation of Adam, the Creation of Eve, the Original Sin, the resulting Banishment from the Garden of Eden, The Sacrifice of Noah,  The Flood, and the Drunkenness of Noah. Worldwide known is the painting of the Creation of Adam, representing the contact between the fingers of the God and Adam, through which the breath of life is transmitted.
Don’t miss also the Belvedere Palace, The Raphael’s Room (Raphael Stanze), the Upper Galleries, and the Borgia Apartment.
|
;)
Caligula reign period, surrounded by fountains, sits in the middle of the square and an enormous marble platform leads from the square to St. Peter’s Basilica from which the Pope delivers his weekly blessing on Sunday.;)
Magnificent St Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano) dominates the St Peter’s Square. The original basilica was built in the 4th century as the final resting-place for the tomb of St Peter. Saint Peter was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, first Bishop of Antioch, and later first Bishop of Rome. Tradition holds that his tomb is below the baldachin and altar; ;)
for this reason, many Popes, starting with the first ones, have been buried there. The current basilica was built in 1626, and was erected over the old Constantinian basilica. The Basilica of Saint Peter, the spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church, ranks seconds among the five major basilicas of Rome. The largest basilica in Christianity covers an area of 5.7 acres and it has a capacity of more than 60,000 people. Most Papal ceremonies ;)
take place at St. Peter's Basilica due to its size, proximity to the Papal residence, and location within the Vatican City walls. The Basilica is replete with sculptures, statues, and other artifacts, the most famous being Michelangelo’s La Pieta. ;)
The main altar holds a bronze-encased throne that is have been used by St Peter. The visitors of St. Peter’s Basilica can climb the steps of the Basilica’s dome to see a panoramic view of the entire city of Rome.;)
The Vatican Museum was founded in 1503 when the newly elected Pope, Julius II della Rovere, placed a statue of Apollo in the internal courtyard of the Belvedere Palace. The next artifacts were added through the next two centuries and Benedict XIV and Clement XIII reorganized the collections in 18th century. They founded the Apostolic Library Museums: the Sacred Museum (Museo Sacro ) and the Profane Museum (Museo Profano). ;)
Pope Pius XI inaugurated in 1932 the definitive seat of the Vatican Picture Gallery (the Pinacoteca). The Vatican Museum has 6 sections: the Gregorian Egyptian Museum, the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael's Rooms, the Pinacoteca (the Picture Gallery), and the Ethnological Missionary Museum.;)
The most beautiful is the Sistine Chapel where you can admire the wall paintings divided into 5 parts: Ceiling, The Last Judgement, North wall, South wall, and Entrance wall. The Sistine Chapel is the home to the two world-famous Michelangelo frescoes ”The Last Judgement” and ”Genesis”, as well as Boticelli’s ”Temptations of Christ”. 15th century Italian masters created other frescoes. The most beautiful is the central part of the ceiling that presents nine stories of the Genesis: Separation of Light from Darkness, Creation of the sun, moon and planets, Separation of Land from Sea, the Creation of Adam, the Creation of Eve, the Original Sin, the resulting Banishment from the Garden of Eden, The Sacrifice of Noah, ;)
The Flood, and the Drunkenness of Noah. Worldwide known is the painting of the Creation of Adam, representing the contact between the fingers of the God and Adam, through which the breath of life is transmitted.;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
