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Information
About the Vatican City in Rome
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Best sites Information about theVatican City
Italia Roma Cittą del Vaticano main attraction
www.vaticanguidedtour.com
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More than just a city, the
Vatican (cittą
del Vaticano) is actually the world's
smallest independent sovereign
state, established by the Lateran
Treaties
in 1929. It is ruled by the Pope (il
Papa) and covers an area of just 108
acres / 43 hectares. Close to the right bank
of the River Tiber (Fiume Tevere),
the Vatican City has its own civil and
judicial systems, post office, bank,
newspaper, radio station, supermarket and
railway station. Often referred to as the
Holy See, the most popular places
to visit include St. Peter's Basilica
(Basilica di San Pietro) and the
Sistine Chapel (cappella Sistina).
The Pope usually gives a public
audience at 11:00 every Wednesday, and if
you wish to attend you should apply at the
nearby Prefetura della Casa Pontifica on
the day before.
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Rome St.Peter's Basilica
Information
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St. Peter's Basilica / Church
(San Pietro in Montorio)
- Piazza San Pietro, Rome 00193
 First
opened in 326 AD, this great temple stands over the
tomb of
St. Peter, the founder of the Church of Rome.
It was torn down during the Renaissance, to make way
for a grand basilica which took around 150 years to
complete. The dome, which dominates the church,
was designed by Michelangelo and you can reach the
top by using an elevator and stairs, where there are some
stunning panoramic views of the city, from over 100
metres / 328 feet high. The church contains a number
of well-known works, including the canopy over the
high altar, a majestic creation by Bernini,
the
gilt bronze Chair of St. Peter, the monument to
Clement XIII
by Canova, and Michelangelo's famous
'Pietą', a wonderful marble sculpture. The
Basilica is nowadays 187 metres / 613 feet long and 132
metres / 432 feet high and is the heart of Christianity.
The cavernous interior holds a staggering 60,000 people for
services and blessings.
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Rome Vatican Museum -
Sistine Chapel Information
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Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani)
- Viale Vaticano, Rome, Italy
 The
Vatican Museums are a group of palaces
which house some of the most important
collections in the world. There are several
exhibitons, including the Etruscan Museum,
Raphael Rooms and
Loggias, the Egyptian Museum and
the world-famous Sistine Chapel, which is
probably the most important part of this vast
museum complex. Also worth a visit are
Raphael's Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello),
several rooms of the Vatican apartment
that were painted by Raphael
at the request of Pope Julius II. The The
Vatican Museums are part of the
Vatican Palace,
which has been the official residence of the
Pope since 1377. With painted ceilings,
chapels,
an estimated 1,400 rooms and many galleries,
there are approximately 5 miles / 8 km of
exhibits.
Open: daily - 08:45 to 16:45, Satudays to 13:45
Admission: charge - free entrance every last
Sunday of the month
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Tour of the
Vatican - Sistine Chapel Tour
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The Sistine Chapel
(Cappella Sistina)
- Rome, Italy
Built for Pope Sixtus IV in 1475, the Sistine
Chapel is probably the Vatican's ultimate building
and crowning glory. In 1483 it was decorated by some of
the best painters in the world - Botticelli,
Ghirlandaio, Pinturicchio, Signorelli
and others. However, it was Michelangelo whose
painting of the vast ceiling and his masterpiece
'The Last Judgment, that have made this chapel famous
throughout the world. Pope Julius II ordered
Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the
Chapel in 1508 and this was an enormous task to
undertake. The ceiling is 929 square metres / 10,000 square
feet and it took him over three years to paint the scenes,
some of which depict the story of creation, for which he was
paid very little. Michelangelo's painting 'The
Last Judgment was painted on the wall over the altar in
1541. When it was unveiled it shocked many Vatican
officials, especially one member, Biago di Cesena,
who critised its indecent nudes. In retaliation,
Michelangelo painted Biago's face on a figure with
donkey's ears in Hades and he also painted his own face on
the wrinkled human skin in the hand of St. Bartholomew. |
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