Vatican
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One man, two countries. Vatican, known as the Holy See, is completely surrounded by the city of
Rome, in central Italy. It is the smallest independent state in the world. We were standing
on the territories of both Italy and Vatican with a line across as the boundary.
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Built in the 16th and 17th centuries, Saint Peter's is the largest house of worship in the world, with
space to accommodate 50,000 people. Its original overall outline was that of a Greek cross, but it is
now shaped like a Latin cross. The interior of St. Peter's is filled with many masterpieces of
Renaissance and Baroque art, among the most famous of which are Michelangelo's "Piet�," the
baldachin over the main altar by Bernini, the statue of St. Longinus in the crossing, the tomb of Urban
VIII, and the bronze cathedral of St. Peter in the apse. The painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the
Vatican City is one of the world's best known works of art.
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This tiny state takes up only 0.44 square kilometers (0.17 square miles). It is a destination for religious pilgrims and art
lovers.
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The red brick building is the home of the pope.
