Welcome to The Vatican City

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St. Peters Square

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St. Peter's Square is an immense plaza designed by the Italian artist and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the mid-17th century. Surrounding the plaza is a four-row Tuscan colonnade that symbolizes the "maternal embrace" of Catholic visitors. In the center of the plaza stands a red granite Egyptian obelisk that was constructed more than 4,000 years ago. While the two fountains equidistant from the obelisk are identical, they were actually designed by two different architects--Bernini and the Swiss-Italian Carlo Maderno. Visitors to the Vatican flock here for incredible views of the Vatican Palace, St. Peter's Basilica, and other surrounding structures.

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St. Peter's Basilica is the most renowned example of Renaissance architecture, and was a collaboration between Bramante, Michelangelo, Maderno, and Bernini that spanned 150 years. It is considered to be one of the holiest Catholic structures and is the site of many religious services, delivered by the Pope. At the bottom of the staircase leading up to the Basilica are statues of Saint Paul and Saint Peter, and the burial site of the latter is actually located inside. The large and ornate dome is the tallest in the world, and is a prominent feature of Rome's skyline.

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The Papal Altar is situated in the center of the Basilica, where only the Pope is permitted to celebrate Mass. Created with Greek marble, the altar is crowned by the ornate bronze "baldacchino" or canopy; the baldacchino consists of four twisted columns embellished with olive and laurel branches. A gold dove found inside symbolizes the Holy Spirit, while four angels are situated above. Both tradition and historical evidence suggest that Saint Peter's remains are preserved beneath the altar.

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The Cortile Della Pigna is a 1st century A.D. Roman fountain that originally stood adjacent to the Pantheon. Since 1608, it has inhabited a niche in the wall of the Vatican but no longer functions as a fountain. The four-meter tall pigna, or "pine cone," is constructed from bronze and flanked by two bronze peacocks. This upper terrace formerly connected to the lower terrace that goes by the name of Cortile del Belvedere, but the erecting of the Vatican Library has since bisected and separated the two cortiles.

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The Museo Chiaramonti was founded by and named after Pope Pius VII, whose last name was Chiaramonti before he became a pope in the early 19th century. The museum houses a collection of 1,000 Roman busts, statues, friezes, and reliefs of sarcophagi. Notable works include a statue of Augustus and the statue of Nile, which is a Roman copy of a Hellenistic piece depicting the Nile River and its tributaries. Magnificent mosaics inlaid in the flooring characterize the Braccio Nuovo Gallery, which is part of the Museo Chiaramonti.

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The Sistine Chapel is the most well known chapel housed within the Apostolic Palace, featuring impressively detailed frescoes from Renaissance greats like Michelangelo and Botticelli. Michelangelo alone painted 12,000 square-feet of the ceiling over the span of four years, including the iconic Creation of Adam; his canonical Last Judgment fresco rendered on the altar wall is considered to be his greatest achievement in painting. A primary function of the Sistine Chapel is to act as the ceremonial venue used when a new pope is elected during a Papal conclave, or meeting. In addition, a permanent choir called the Sistine Chapel Choir takes up residence here for the Papal services held throughout the year.

Welcome to The Vatican City

St. Peters Square

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St. Peters Basilica

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Altar

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Cortille Della Pigna

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Museo Chiaramanti

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Sistine Chapel

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