The Vatican City
Vatican City comprises St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Square, the Vatican and the Vatican Gardens. The Vatican City is best known to tourists and students of architecture for the magnificent St Peter’s Basilica.
Leading up to it is the 17th-century St Peter’s Square, a superb creation by Bernini. On either side are semi-circular colonnades, and in the centre of the square is an Egyptian obelisk hewn in the reign of Caligula. The Vatican Gardens can be visited only by those on guided tours or bus tours. Tickets are available from the Tourist Information Office in St Peter’s Square; it is advisable to apply two days in advance.
To the right of St Peter’s stands the Vatican Palace, the Pope’s residence. Among the principal features of the Palace are the Stanze, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Collections, containing major works of art and valuable pictures.
There is a restaurant in the museum and a bar and cafe on the roof of St Peter’s.
St Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro)
Arguably one of the finest Cathedrals in the entire world, St. Peter's is the spiritual centre of the Vatican and the product of many of Italy's great Renaissance's architects, among them Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo.
Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina)
Probably the most famous chapel in the world because of its incredible artwork, notably "The Last Judgment," Michelangelo's stunning fresco covering 10,000 square feet of the ceiling and wall.
Vatican Museum
With more than five miles of corridors, this vast complex of museums chronicles the history and accomplishments of mankind over the last 2000 years, featuring classic masterpieces such as Rodin's "Thinker" and the Sistine Chapel.
St Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro)
This grand and magnificent square has retained its classical beauty and serves as the place from which the masses receive the Pope's weekly blessing.
La Pieta
The most beautiful work inside St Peter's Cathedral is Michelangelo's famous La Pietà, considered by many to be the most moving piece of sculpture ever created.
St Peter Enthroned
This masterpiece shows St. Peter sitting bearded and dressed as a philosopher, with his left hand carrying keys, the right hand being raised in blessing.
Monument to Alexander VII
In St Peter's Chapel of the Sacrament is where Bernini's monument to Alexander VII is located.
Vatican Grottoes
Beneath the main floor of St. Peter's Basilica are the tombs of several popes and saints.
Roman Necropolis
When Pius XII ordered a thorough excavation of the area under the High Altar in St. Peter's Basilica, twisting stone passages were found leading to an ancient Roman necropolis, which contained chambers 10- to 15-feet wide with preserved frescoes and mosaics.
Papal Stables (Scuderie Papalie al Quirinale)
The former papal stables at the Quirinale is now a redesigned 18th-century building, which houses contemporary-style art exhibitions such as French Impressionist paintings, Botticelli artwork and photographs by Sebastiao Salgado.
