Holiday travel tips and experiences: Vatican City

Established in 1929, the Vatican City or Vatican City State is the world's smallest state with an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and a population of just over 800. Situated within a walled enclave within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy, the Vatican is governed by the Pope. Added by UNESCO to the List of World Heritage Sites in 1984, the Vatican City's most famous monument is St Peter's Basilica.

St Peter's Basilica, erected over the tomb of St Peter the Apostle, is the largest religious building in the world and which until 1989 was the biggest cathedral in Christianity.

Dome of St Peter's Basilica, the tallest in the world

Domes dominate the skyline in Rome and symbolize the city and have inspired poets for centuries. One of the most famous is that of Michelangelo’s masterpiece in St Peter’s Basilica which is the tallest in the world, being the highest point in the city and an unmistakable icon of Rome.

Vatican City

We made our way to St Peter’s Basilica, the largest Roman Catholic church in the world. St Peter’s Basilica is famous for:-
*housing the tomb of St Peter, Jesus’ first disciple and the first Pope of the world
*being the largest cathedral in the world
*Michelangelos’s Pieta sculpture which he created when he was 24 years old and the only work of art that he signed
*being a work of art and include works of other famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Bernini, etc…
*its greatest dome, the whisper dome
*housing all the orders of the Roman Catholic church
*the Holy door which is opened every 25 years, the next opening being in 2025

Michelangelos' Pieta sculpture is a masterpiece of the Renaissance and is one of the most highly finished works by Michelangelo. This is the only piece of work the Michelangelo ever signed. This famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion.

Pieta by Michelangelo

Located just to the right of the entrance to St Peter's Basilica

The Holy Door or 'Porta Sancta' is only open during a Holy Year (Jubilee), which occur every 25 years (the last one in 2000). On the first day of a holy year, the Pope strikes the brick wall with a silver hammer and opens it to the pilgrims. the message imparted by the Holy Door is that God's mercy reaches out to mankind's frailty. From inside the basilica, you'll notice that the door is walled up. (extracted from http://saintpetersbasilica.org)

The Holy Door

The Holy Door, all walled up from inside the Basilica

St Peter

The huge statues of Saints Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome can be seen in St Peter's Square, in front of St Peter's Basilica.

St Paul

The Vatican Grotto, also called the 'Pope's Crypt', lies underneath St Peter's Basilica and is considered by many to be one of the highlights of a visit to Rome and the Vatican City. Here many of the Popes of the Catholic Church lie interred, and hundreds of thousands of visitors file past to see the tombs. Efforts are made by staff to keep the crowds quiet. The most popular grave is the simple, flat burial site of Pope John Paul II. In all, over 90 popes lie interred within these chambers. (extracted from http://www.panoramicearth.com)

The spot in St Peter's Basilica that marks the Vatican grotto below

Here are more pictures of Vatican City, in particular, St Peter's Basilica.

Sunset view from St Peter's Basilica

A confessional in St Peter's Basilica where a 'real' priest sits... not a statue

See the dome from within St Peter's Basilica

Chapel of St Sebastian

Below the altar at the Chapel of St Sebastian lies the body of Blessed Innocent XI
(1676 - 1689) preserved in a crystal casket

Vatican Obelisk in Saint Peter's Square

Vatican Obelisk

The Vatican Obelisk is one of the original Egyptian obelisk left in Rome.

Swiss army guard

Vatican City fountain

Part of the dome of St Peter's Basilica

The Sistine Chapel is the other remarkable item here in Vatican City. Dating from the late 15th century, the papal conference room is decorated by a series of paintings. Sistine Chapel is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. Today, Sistine Chapel is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new Pope is selected. According to our tour manager, Ricky, the colour of the smoke from Sistine Chapel will signify if the new Pope has been elected.