Recently updated on March 21st, 2024 at 11:19 am
In the midst of Rome’s labyrinthine streets lies Vatican City, an independent city-state that attracts travellers from far and wide, all year round. Whether they’re coming to visit the heart of the Roman Catholic Church, or to experience its extraordinary architecture and world famous art, this important city offers a wealth of incredible attractions. From its ancient piazzas to its remarkable Renaissance murals, we take a look at what each visitor should see when they visit Vatican City.
St Peter’s Square lies at the centre of this petite walled city, and is also where one of its key monuments, the magnificent St Peter’s Basilica, is located. But it’s not just the architecture of the Basilica that makes spending time here so worthwhile. Built in the mid-17th century, the square has a distinctive design covering an enormous area of 240 metres in diameter, with as many as 284 columns surrounding the space and 140 statues of saints, each over three metres tall. Two impressive fountains lie on either side of the central obelisk, and the statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul welcome visitors to the steps leading up to the Basilica. All in all, there’s a lot to take in as you gaze at the magnificence that surrounds you.
Within the Basilica, some of The Vatican’s most treasured artefacts and artworks can be seen, many contributed by great Renaissance artists like Raphael and Michelangelo. Some of the most celebrated artworks include the Baroque sculpted bronze canopy known as baldachin by Bernini, and the Renaissance sculpture Pietà by Michelangelo, alongside many other world-famous works. It’s hard to comprehend the scale of this great monument until you’re standing within its cavernous interior gazing up at its intricate mosaics, but it’s said that as many as 20,000 people can be standing within the building at the same time.
The Sistine Chapel is another reason to visit Vatican City, situated within the Pope’s official residence, the Apostolic Palace. Taking its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who restored the chapel between 1477 and 1480, the Sistine Chapel is renowned worldwide due to its extraordinary decorative interior and frescoes, which include The Last Judgement by Michelangelo.
While these are the most famous sites within The Vatican, there’s more still to discover while you’re there. The Vatican Museums are filled with a staggering collection of paintings and sculptures that are considered to be among the world’s great masterpieces. And alongside more famous sites like Raphael’s Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, plenty of other fantastic museums are in abundance, from the Egyptian Museum and Gallery of Tapestries, to the Missionary Ethnological Museum, which contains Greek and Roman artefacts dating back as far as the first century. The city’s fascinating heritage is also complemented by the verdant Vatican Gardens and peaceful courtyards, which have been a place of meditation for the popes since the thirteenth century.
All of this can be experienced on an exclusive trip with Trafalgar; guests who visit Vatican City from summer 2017 will enter the walled city as VIPs, before embarking on a tour that includes a guided introduction to the Ethnological Museum.
Visit Vatican City with Trafalgar on the Rome Explorer, Contrasts of Italy, Rome and Tuscan Highlights, Grand Italian Experience, Best of Italy, and Grand European trips.
Image credits: Cover photo © iStock / vdvtut. Saint Peter’s Square © iStock / Ekaterina Belova. Fontana Piazza San Pietro © iStock / Muttley572. Vatican St Peter in Piazza San Pietro © iStock / Li Kim Goh. St Peter’s Basilica © iStock / fotoVoyager.