Sights in Vatican City

Also known as the Holy See, Vatican City is a small city with a scanty population. Famous for being the home of the Catholic Pope, Vatican City Sights include the following:

Vatican Museum:

The colossal Vatican Museum, with more than 1400 rooms, must be the first site you see. Vatican Museum has several different segments including the Egyptian Museum, Georgian Museum, Chiaramonti Museum, Vase collection, Antiquarium Romanum, Gallery of the Candelabra, Gallery of the Maps, collection of modern religious art, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Picture Gallery and Raphael’s rooms. Each segment showcases discrete works of art or paintings dating back to 3,000 years. The Sistine chapel is famed for hosting conclaves for the election of the Pope and other religious ceremonies. Due to the vastness of the museum, it is recommended to take a guided tour. The museum remains closed on Sundays and holidays except the last Sunday of the month when the entrance to the museum is free of cost.

Sistine Chapel:

The Sistine Chapel, located within the premises of Vatican Museum is another attraction of Vatican City. Best known for holding the conclaves for the election of the Pope, the Sistine Chapel is also famous for its fresco decoration done by the eminent Renaissance artists like Raphael, Michelangelo and Sandro Botticelli. The famous fresco painting of The Last Judgment portrayed by Michelangelo is considered to be an asset preserved here.

St. Peter's Basilica:

St. Peter’s Basilica, considered to be one of the largest churches in the world, has the capacity of accommodating about 60,000 people at once. The church has been named after Saint Peter who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The tomb of Saint Peter is located just below the altar of the basilica and continuing with the Catholic tradition, many Popes have been buried at the basilica since the early Christian period. The church has 45 altars, all of which are beautifully embellished with fresco paintings done by none other than Michelangelo and Bernini. The church stays open between 7a.m to 7p.m everyday.

Castel St. Angelo:

Constructed in 123 A.D. by Emperor Hadrian, the Castel Sant’Angelo was originally a mausoleum. Later on, it became a penitentiary as well as a papal residence in the 14th century. There is a statue of an angel placed at the top of this fortress. Crafted by the 18th century sculptor Pieter Verschaffelt, the statue stands for the holy angel who is believed to have ended the epidemic of the deadly plague that had attacked the city during 590 A.D. Since then, the mausoleum has been known as the Castel St. Angelo. The National Museum of Castel St. Angelo is located inside the fortress and showcases an array of artifacts and paintings.