Vatican City

<< Atlas

Vatican City (Città del Vaticano) is the smallest country in the world by both area and population, and it is located entirely within the city of Rome, Italy. The state is a theocratic elective absolute monarchy ruled by the pope, which is also the bishop of Rome and the head of the Catholic Church. Previously, the Papal States ruled a large portion of Central Italy for centuries, until the territory was taken by the newly unified Kingdom of Italy. When Italy captured Rome in 1870, the pope retreated to the Vatican. For decades the popes referred to themselves as “prisoner in the Vatican” and did not recognize the rule of the King of Italy over Rome. The dispute was solved with the Lateran Treaty in 1929, which established the Vatican City as an independent country. The tiny state includes some of the most famous and visited religious and cultural sites in the world.

✪ Saint Peter’s Basilica

Saint Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro) is the largest church in the world, located at the center of Vatican City. The basilica is one of the greatest works of Renaissance art and architecture, and was built between 1506 and 1626 to replace a previous church. The building saw the contribution of many Renaissance architects and artists such as Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini, while the elaborate and monumental facade was designed by Carlo Maderno. The chruch is topped by a huge dome, one of the largest in the world, which was designed by Michelangelo. The vast interior of the basilica is adorned with countless artworks, monuments, and decorations. Among these, some of the main attractions are the sculpture of the Pietà by Michelangelo and the tall Saint Peter’s Baldachin (Baldacchino di San Pietro), sculpted by Bernini. The baldachin is located over the altar, and marks the place of the tomb of Saint Peter, located underneath. Behind the altar is the Chair of Saint Peter (Cattedra di San Pietro), a wooden throne that supposedly belonged to Saint Peter, and is now enclosed in an elaborate sculpture by Bernini. Underneath the basilica, a necropolis houses numerous tombs, including those of various popes. The church also features the Treasury Museum of Saint Peter’s Basilica (Museo del Tesoro della Basilica di San Pietro), which includes several religious objects and artworks.

✪ Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani) are among the most visited museums in the world, and are located next to Saint Peter’s Basilica. Part of the museums are located inside the Apostolic Palace (Palazzo Apostolico), which is the residence of the pope. The Vatican Museums house some of the greatest works of art in the world, especially from the Renaissance, and are divided in several sections. The Pinacoteca Vaticana houses paintings by Giotto, Raphael, da Vinci, Titian, Caravaggio, and many more, while more recent works are housed in the Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art (Collezione d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea), hosted in the richly frescoed halls of the Borgia Apartments (Appartamento Borgia). The Pio-Clementino Museum (Museo Pio-Clementino) houses a collection of ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, with the most notable pieces being the Laocoön (Laocoonte) and the Apoxyomenos. More ancient statues are hosted in the Chiaramonti Museum (Museo Chiaramonti), including the famous Augustus of Prima Porta (Augusto di Prima Porta). Meanwhile, the Gregorian Etruscan Museum (Museo Gregoriano Etrusco) and the Gregorian Egyptian Museum (Museo Gregoriano Egizio) house archaeological finds from the ancient Etruscan and Egyptian civilizations, respectively. Other sections include collections of ancient coins, religious objects, books, documents, and archaeological finds. The Vatican Museums also include numerous adorned halls, such as the elaborate Gallery of Maps (Galleria delle Carte Geografiche). Here are also the Raphael Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello), adorned with a huge cycle of 16th-century frescoes by Raphael which are among the greatest works of Renaissance art. Finally, the most famous area of the complex is the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina), which is decorated with a series of elaborate frescoes, most notably the ones adorning the ceiling and The Last Judgment (Il Giudizio Universale), both by Michelangelo and some of the most renowned and celebrated works of art of all time. Since 1878, the Sistine Chapel is the seat of the papal conclave.

Saint Peter’s Square

Saint Peter’s Square (Piazza San Pietro) is the large square located in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica. The plaza is delimited on the northern and southern side by the two monumental colonnades designed by Bernini, while an ancient Egyptian obelisk is located at the center of the square.

Vatican Gardens

The Vatican Gardens (Giardini Vaticani) are the gardens located behind Saint Peter’s Basilica, and occupy a large portion of the area of Vatican City. The lush park was mostly designed during the Renaissance, and features numerous statues, sculptures, fountains, and shrines. The garden is surrounded by a series of ancient fortifications known as Leonine Walls.

Map of Vatican City

Map of all places in Vatican City