Discover Vatican City

825

The Vatican City is a tiny country located within Rome, Italy, and is home to the Catholic Church. It's the smallest sovereign state in the world and is governed by the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope. Its main attractions include St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square, The Sistine Chapel and The Vatican Museums - all of which are worth visiting to gain an understanding of its religious history.

Within St. Peter's Basilica lies Michelangelo's iconic Pieta sculpture depicting Jesus in his mother Mary's arms while nearby stands Bernini's impressive colonnade that encircles St Peter's Square. Inside The Sistine Chapel you can find some of Michelangelo's most famous ceiling frescoes, including 'The Creation of Adam'.

An interesting historical fact about this area goes back to 1929 when The Lateran Treaty was signed between Italy and the Holy See (the central governing body for Roman Catholicism), ending decades long dispute between them over lands belonging to the Papal States which gave rise to what we now know as Vatican City today.