The Vatican is a tiny state located in the center of Rome. But it's still hard to imagine what the Vatican is like. A country? City? Tourist complex? Possessions of the Pope? Everything about the Vatican and the myths about the smallest state in the world is described in this article.

What is the Vatican

The city of Vatican City is the seat of the Pope and is located on the territory of Rome. The form of government is an absolute theocratic monarchy, that is, the head of the country is the supreme person of the church, there are only three countries with such a form of government in the world (even the Sultan of Brunei and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). Officially, the state is called the "Holy See", but territorially represented by the city of the Vatican.

Piazza and St. Peter's Cathedral

The Holy See is the smallest sovereign state. The area of ​​the Vatican is only 440 square meters or 0.44 hectares, on the world map it is less than a dot. The official language is Italian, but official documents often use Latin names. You can pay in euros. Most of the population of the Vatican, numbering 1000 people, are Italian wage workers. Citizenship is received only by people serving the Holy See, it cannot be inherited.

All branches of power in the country are concentrated in the hands of the sovereign of the Holy See, in other words, in the hands of the Pope. The pope is elected by the cardinals for life. There are also many legislative and executive bodies: the Pontifical Commission, the Roman Curia, the State Secretariat, the Ecumenical Council and others. Litigation is handled by the Supreme Church Court, and the Papal Guard serves to maintain order.

Scheme: Vatican on the map

History of the Vatican

A place on the outskirts of ancient Rome was chosen even before the official recognition of Christianity as a religion: there are gardens and villas of Agrippina, who was the mother of Emperor Caligula. Later, although Christianity became the state religion of Italy, the Catholic Church had very little land of its own.

In the Middle Ages, kings were afraid of a strong Pope and tried to limit his territorial possessions. However, by 1870, the Papal State had been formed out of lands donated or otherwise transferred to the use of the church. It occupied more than half of the Apennine Peninsula, but the Italian kingdom destroyed this state entity.

Statues in St. Peter's Basilica

In history, this period has been preserved as the "Roman Question", it was not resolved until the 20th century. In the summer of 1927, the Italian government, headed by Benito Mussolini, and the Holy See sat down at the negotiating table in the Lateran Palace. On February 11, 1929, three legal documents were signed - the Lateran Accords. These papers recognized the sovereignty of the state of the Vatican, described its territories and determined the relationship between the church and Italy. In the same year, the Vatican had its own constitution.

In 1957, the new country began to cooperate with the UN, and since 2008 with the international Interpol. Due to the limited territory, the embassies of many countries in the Vatican are located on the soil of Rome. It turns out that the Italian embassy in the Vatican is located in Italy.

Additional Information! The history of the word Vatican itself is also interesting. It comes from the name of the Vatican Hill, on top of which the city is located, and was first used only in the text of the Lateran Accords. The official name of the state is translated from Italian as "State of the City of Vatican".

Attractions map

More than 4 million tourists flock to Rome every year to visit the Vatican. Some are attracted by the weekly audience with the Pope, which takes place on Wednesdays at 10:30 am local time. But most people are interested in the unique beauty of architectural monuments and sights of the city.

Saint Paul's Cathedral

Usually they enter the city through the rounded St. Peter's Square, in the middle of which stands an Egyptian obelisk. Further on, the majestic St. Peter's Cathedral, built in the 16th century on the burial site of St. Peter, appears. Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini and about a dozen other architects worked on the building at different times. On the map of the Vatican, it can be seen that, together with the square, the ensemble has the symbolic shape of a key.

The Sistine Chapel

Nearby is the Sistine Chapel, built in 1481. Many recognize the building as unremarkable in appearance, but the main value is the paintings on biblical scenes. But shooting frescoes is prohibited, you need good eyesight to see the pictures under the ceiling. No less famous is the male choir of the chapel, a feature of which is the performance without musical accompaniment.

Gardens

Immediately behind the cathedral are a garden that occupies most of the territory of the state. Once it was built for walks and the solitude of the Pope. Now they are well-groomed lawns and plantings, which is not surprising, because more than 20 people take care of the land. There are many fountains and expositions in the garden, which are united by a branching network of paths.

Double spiral staircase in the Library

Library

Behind the Sistine Chapel you can find the Apostolic Library. It was founded in the 15th century and today more than 1.5 million books and half a million other exhibits are stored here. But this place will interest not only lovers of reading, especially since not all halls are free to visit. The building itself is beautifully decorated and pleasing to the eye with incredible images, here is the famous spiral staircase, twisting into a double snail.

Museums

Just behind the library are the Vatican Museums and the Pinakothek. In general, one thing can be said about the Vatican Museums: there are a lot of them. Most of the museums were founded by the Popes and bear their names (Museums of Pio-Clementine, Chiaramonti, Pio-Christian), there are museums and halls dedicated to historical eras and ethnic groups (Gregorian Etruscan, Gregorian Egyptian, Ethnological Missionary and Historical Museums, Collection of Modern Art). Some rooms for other purposes also later became museums, such as the Borgia Apartments or the Niccolina Chapel.

Pope

The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, the supreme ruler of the Holy See and the Vatican. The pope is considered the direct successor of Saint Peter, who was the first bishop of Rome.

During the existence of the church, 266 popes were replaced, of which 40 were recognized as antipopes, that is, people who illegally seized the title. Urban VII died of malaria 12 days after he was elected pope, the shortest pontificate ever. But during his time in the title, he managed to ban smoking in public places. Stephen III lived even less in the role of Pope, who died three days after his election and did not have time to take up his duties.

Since 2013, the post of Pope has been occupied by Francis, in the world by Jorge Mario Bergoglio. This is the first Francis in the history of the papacy. The pontiff has a Twitter page, but he doesn't watch TV because he took a vow.

Important! In addition to weekly audiences, you can write to Francis by post at the Courtyard of Santa Marta, 00120 Vatican City.

Who guards the city

The only armed forces of the Vatican are the Swiss Guard of the Pope. This army is the oldest in the world, and was organized in 1506 by order of Pope Julius II. This pontiff is considered one of the most warlike, because during his reign he conquered significant territories.

Pope Francis and his guards

In 1506, 150 Swiss guards were nailed to the Vatican. The Pope chose the Swiss because they were renowned for their bravery in battle and their loyalty. The Guardsmen are recognizable by their bright yellow and blue uniforms, which, with some modifications, they still wear to this day. The army is armed with modern pistols and machine guns when accompanying the Pope, while the palace guards carry traditional halberds.

Despite the small number (the number of guards rarely exceeded 200 people, now 110 soldiers serve the Pope), the army took part in the hostilities and always coped with its direct duties - the protection of the Pope. In addition, the guardsmen take part in ceremonies, which serve as entertainment for tourists.

How to get to the Vatican for a tour

Despite the fact that the Vatican is not large, there are many historical monuments and works of art collected here, so the guides have something to show in the city. But it makes sense to walk on your own. Admission to some attractions is free, such as St. Peter's Square and Cathedral, the Library. For others you will have to pay: the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums (one general ticket) or access to the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Interesting! Most excursions are conducted in European languages, but you can also find Russian-speaking tourist groups or buy a personal guide. Each guide makes a route himself, but if you want to visit the maximum number of attractions, you will have to disappear for 4-6 hours. Therefore, it is better to dress comfortably.

The Vatican has its own dress code, tourists have the right not to be allowed in if:

• shoulders and knees will not be covered;
• there will be a deep neckline;
• there will be rough inscriptions on the clothes;
• Men are not allowed to wear hats.

Note! During a popular period, queues can take up to 3 hours, so it is often more profitable to book tickets in advance on the official website. The longest queues are in the morning, and after lunch the excitement subsides. In addition, you can walk around the museums during the audience with the Pope, in the morning of Wednesday there is always less queue.

How to get to the Vatican, where is the entrance

Everyone knows that the center of the Catholic world is in Rome. But where exactly is the Vatican in Rome? The route to it will depend on where you leave from. If you use the subway, you have to walk. After all, the city is located between the Ottaviano and Cipro stations. You can also get there by bus, there are about a dozen routes nearby. You can try to drive any building or attraction into the search engine.

Important! The city-state is surrounded by a fence, you can enter through the Museums or St. Peter's Square. It is better to choose the road to a certain place, because the path from one entrance to another can take up to half an hour.

Frescoes in the Vatican Library

How to buy tickets to the Vatican: online booking, remote purchase. How much should I book

You can pay for a pass to some attractions or buy a whole tour, both group and personal. You can buy tickets at the box office directly in the Vatican or book on the official website.

By booking tickets online, you can avoid queues. Registration costs 4 euros*. Ticket prices may vary depending on promotions and routes. A visit to the Museums and the Sistine Chapel is worth *:

• 17 euros per adult;
• 8 euros for students and schoolchildren (upon presentation of a document);
• 5 euros for children from 6 to 12 years old;
• free for children under 6 years old.

Tickets can be booked a month in advance. To do this, on the official website of the Vatican (available only in English or other European languages), you need to select "tours". A list of all possible tourist routes will appear. Next, you need to choose the day and time of the visit, additional options (audio guide). You can pay by bank cards. You can book up to 10 tickets.

The Vatican is a place with more than two thousand years of history, it is an incredible concentration of ancient relics in a small area, it is the heart of the Catholic world and European culture, the most popular foreign tourist route.

*The indicated prices are valid for September 2018.

For those traveling to Rome for the first time, we have compiled three itineraries with which you can see all the main city attractions in 3 days of leisurely walks. There is no point in hurrying in Rome, it's better to come back here again;) On our first tour, we will walk around the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica.

Rome sightseeing map. Walk and get the opportunity to save this route in your maps.

1. Vatican Museums

It's no secret that the Vatican Museums are one of the world's largest treasure troves. Perhaps the most famous exhibit in the Vatican's collection of attractions is the Sistine Chapel, so it's worth visiting this place at least for its sake. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited in the chapel, but you can endlessly look at the ceiling and walls painted by Michelangelo, Raphael and Giotto. At the entrance to the Vatican Museums, do not forget to take a museum audio guide in Russian for 7 euros - the tour will be more interesting.

Entrance to the Vatican Museums

On a note: The Vatican Museums, apparently, designed good merchandisers: to get to the Sistine Chapel, you have to go through a dozen very interesting and beautiful halls. But the trouble is that, having approached the chapel, you will no longer have enthusiasm for the most interesting and delicious. In general, take care of your strength - the Vatican, like any other museum, is better to absorb in small portions, biting off the most delicious pieces first;)

2. Apostolic Palace

Walking through the halls of the Vatican, do not miss the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace, especially in clear weather. In the center of the courtyard is the famous sculpture "Globe" by Arnoldo Pomadoro, bought by Pope John Paul II in 1990.

Sculpture "Globe" in the Vatican

3. Belvedere

Here, in a small Roman courtyard, you will find two of the most famous statues: Laocoön and Apollo Belvedere.

Laocoön

4. Sistine Chapel

There are wooden benches along the walls of the chapel, where you can sit down and, with your head up, find the famous fresco "The Creation of Adam". But this is only a small fraction - all the walls and ceiling of the chapel are painted by the most famous masters of the early and mature Renaissance: Giotto, Raphael, Michelangelo...

The Creation of Adam Scene

5. Exit the Sistine Chapel

From the chapel, turning to the left door, you will get back to the museum on the famous Michelangelo stairs, and turning right - to St. Peter's Basilica, bypassing all the queues. Few people know about this exit, it is intended for groups and certified guides, but if you pretend to be a rag and turn right at the end of the Sistine Chapel, you will get to the Cathedral, saving time;)

Michelangelo's staircase in the Vatican

6. St. Peter's Basilica

You can get to St. Peter's Basilica in two ways: either by standing in line at the right wing of Bernini's colonnade, encircling the cathedral (it leads inside the Cathedral and directly to the observation deck of the dome), or by going to the Cathedral through the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican Museums.

Climb to dome of St. Peter's Basilica is a must for any traveller. It offers a stunning view of the Vatican, the Vatican Gardens, Castel Sant'Angelo and the right bank of the Tiber. We recommend taking a lift ticket. It costs 2 euros more than a regular ticket, but will save you a lot of energy that you will still need to explore the city.

View from the observation platform on the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral

7. The interior of St. Peter's Basilica

You need to get into the cathedral itself at least in order to see the most grandiose temple of all time, Bernini's bronze canopy and Michelangelo's "Pieta". that was taken down from the cross. The sculpture is small in size and kept behind glass. But this does not prevent at all from seeing the settled dead body, the lifelessly hanging hand of Christ and the completely girlish face of the sad Virgin Mary.

"Lamentation of Christ" - Michelangelo's first and most outstanding pieta

8. St. Peter's Square and Bernini's Colonnade

In the center of the square, do not ignore the Egyptian obelisk. At one time, Rome, like many cities in Europe, once again embraced "Egyptomania". In particular, this obelisk was brought by the emperor Caligula, then attached by the emperor Nero to his circus, and already in the Middle Ages, the Roman pontiffs interpreted the concept of an obelisk or stella as a "torch of faith", demolished the statues of emperors crowning them and erected statues of the apostles, the Mother of God on them or, in extreme cases, just stars. By the way, there is a legend that the ashes of Caesar himself are kept in a bronze ball on the obelisk...

St. Peter's Square in Rome

9. End of the tour on via Concializione

At the end of our first walk, we suggest walking along Conciazione Street to the Angel Castle. There are some excellent panoramic views of St. Peter's Basilica framed by the streets from here.

In total, there are 26 museums in the Vatican, many of them are not at all large, but there is nothing to think about embracing the immensity and inspecting at one time all the collections of art objects collected over 500 years by the Catholic Church. Many museums bear the name of the Pope who created them. The oldest collections date back to the 16th century. Therefore, in this article I will tell you what to choose for the first acquaintance, and what you can skip. There are always a lot of people in the Vatican Museums, do not have any illusions that you will not be able to see the exposition in peace and quiet.

Tickets are recommended to be purchased in advance and think in advance what you would like to see. I wrote about the different options for visiting the Vatican in the previous article “”, if you haven’t read this yet, I recommend that you first read it, there I tell you how to buy tickets and what visiting options are possible and how much the different options cost, where you can download free audio guides.

If you bought your tickets online, you can skip the line at the box office. At the entrance you will have to go through metal detectors, so it is better to leave knives, multitools, scissors at the hotel. In the lobby, you need to select the "Cassa online individuals" box and exchange your voucher for a real ticket if you bought a ticket only for the Vatican Museums. If you bought a ticket with gardens or a visit to Castel Gandolfo, you need to look for the inscription "Guided tour".

Checkout

I recommend that you print out the plan of the museum at home so that you do not wander. The plan is not issued with tickets.

The first place where all tourists go is the cone yard. The cone is ancient and in ancient Rome it adorned a fountain, then for some time the cone stood in the old St. Peter's Basilica, and now it has given its name to the whole courtyard of the Vatican. At the foot of the cone, two ancient Egyptian lions lay down to rest. In this building, behind the bump, is the Gregorian Egyptian Museum.

Yard bumps, estimate how many people

Pio Clementino Museum

Usually, the average visitor starts their tour of the Vatican Museums with the Pio Clementino Museum. The museum received a double name from the two popes who founded it - Clement XIV (1769-1774) and Pius VI (1775-1799). The expositions of Pio Clementino present a wide collection of antique sculpture.

The crowd will carry you through the hall of animals, you cannot enter from the hall itself, it is fenced with ropes. And take it out into a magnificent octagonal courtyard.

Crowds of people in an octagonal courtyard

This is where you need to stop. It is in this courtyard that the famous statues of Apollo Belvedere, Hermes Belvedere, Perseus the Triumphator with the severed head of Medusa Gorgon are installed. The last one was sculpted by Antonio Canova, i.e. this is the 19th century, not antiquity. Where the largest crowd stands, the famous Laocoön hides most quickly. Laocoon is of great importance for Rome. I'll tell you why below.

Perseus the Triumphant 19th century, Laocoön, Torso

The description of the Laocoön sculptural group is contained in the ancient works of Pliny the Elder. It is said that during the Trojan War, Laocoon, the priest of Apollo in the city of Troy, dissuaded the Trojans from dragging into the city a wooden horse left by the Greeks outside the city gates. Athena and Poseidon, who were on the side of the Greeks, sent two large sea serpents to kill the priest and his sons. From the Roman point of view, the death of these innocent people is of decisive importance to Aeneas, who believed Laocoön's warning and fled Troy. It was the fugitives from Troy, led by Aeneas, who founded Rome.

As for the age of the statue, disputes do not subside. The incredible emotionality of the sculpture is striking, on the other hand, we know that the ancients were not able to convey movements and emotions so vividly, but this did not prevent art theorists from referring the birth date of Laocoön to the beginning of our era.

In the center of the Hall of Muses there is a statue of "Torso". This is an ancient sculpture, they say it was from her that Michelangelo wrote off the nude figures of the Last Judgment fresco that adorns one of the walls of the Sistine Chapel. Next, I give photos of ancient sarcophagi, they are very wonderful.

Sarcophagus with the battle of the Amazons

Sarcophagus depicting Dionysius

I photographed the bust of Socrates for the fact that his name is written almost in our letters, Fortune for good luck. The most valuable exhibit below the presented trinity is Hercules with the apples of the Hesperides. Firstly, this is antique bronze, and not many antique bronzes have survived to our time, and secondly, many marble statues are copies from antique bronzes that have not survived to our time. Antique bronzes are now exhibited only in museums in Italy and Greece, they are not available in other countries.

Socrates, Muse Fortuna, Heracles with the Apples of the Hesperides

The floors of the Round Hall are decorated with antique mosaics. And in the center is a huge porphyry pool, 5 meters in diameter. It is believed that the pool is antique, how they made it remains a mystery, porphyry is a hard stone. Making something out of porphyry is much harder than making it out of marble or travertine.

round hall

Two porphyry sarcophagi are exhibited in the Greek Cross Hall. One of them, according to legend, belonged to Saint Helena, and the second to Constance. In appearance, these are typical antique sarcophagi. The audio guide tirelessly talked about the Christian warriors depicted on the sarcophagus of St. Helena, but there are no signs of the warriors belonging to Christianity. The sarcophagus of Constantius is adorned with scenes of the grape harvest, suggesting analogies between grapes resurrecting as wine and the resurrection of Christ. In my opinion, all this is very far-fetched. Even according to the official version, Saint Helena and her son Constantine converted to Christianity at the end of their lives, before they had time to make Christian sarcophagi for themselves. You just have to acknowledge this fact.

In the background is the sarcophagus of St. Helena, in front, people are looking at the mosaic floors.

It is curious that another Pope was later buried in the sarcophagus of St. Helena. For me, this is on the verge of sacrilege, and the Holy Fathers are not at all embarrassed by such things.

Mosaic floors in the Greek Cross Hall

This is where the halls of the Pio Clementino Museum end. From here you can turn either to the Egyptian Museum or the Etruscan Museum. The halls of the Egyptian Museum will lead you back to the beginning of the Pio Clementino Museum. Here everyone decides for himself whether he wants to turn left and see the Gregorian museums or not.

Gregorian Egyptian Museum

The Gregorian Egyptian Museum is named after Pope Gregory XVI, who founded the collection in 1839. The museum consists of only 9 rooms and presents collections typical of Ancient Egypt, such as numerous hieroglyphic inscriptions, sarcophagi, statues of ancient Egyptian deities with animal heads, and even a real mummy of an Egyptian noble lady named Amenirdis, wrapped in a mesh of precious beads. Most of all, I was struck by the ancient Egyptian god Bes, the patron saint of babies and pregnant women. If he was to drive away evil spirits, then his appearance is the most suitable.

Gregorian Etruscan Museum

As you may have guessed, it was opened by Pope Gregory XVI. The museum consists of 18 rooms and was one of the first museums dedicated to the Etruscans. I recommend visiting this museum to all Slavs. There are historical theories according to which the Etruscans were Slavs and lived much later than it is customary to think about them now. The Polish scientist Tadeusz Volansky deciphered many Etruscan inscriptions back in the 19th century and published books about his research. For this, the Pope asked the Russian Emperor Nicholas I to apply an auto-da-fé from his books to the scientist. This episode took place in the enlightened XIX century. Books were banned, the issue was hushed up, official science still considers Etruscan inscriptions unreadable.

Etruscan gold jewelry is very similar to what we have on display in the Golden Storeroom of the Hermitage, i.e. for Scythian things.

Gallery of candelabra

The Candelabra Gallery is part of the Profano Museum. The length of the gallery is 80 m. The gallery got its name thanks to the antique candelabra decorating it from all sides. The ceiling is decorated with paintings on the theme of reconciliation of religion and science, religion and art, and even harmony between paganism and Christianity.

Vatican Crowds, Candelabra Gallery, Coat of Arms of Pope Leo XIII

Tapestry gallery

The tapestry gallery was designed under Pope Pius VI. The main exhibits are the tapestries of the Brussels manufactory of Peter Van Elst, woven in the 16th century under Clement VII, that got into the gallery much later than 1838, until that moment they adorned the walls of the famous Sistine Chapel. The weavers of Flanders managed to depict complex religious subjects using threads of only 6 colors.

Map Gallery

The unusually long narrow gallery of geographical maps is perhaps the most impressive room in the Apostolic Palace, it was painted with frescoes commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII. It took three years from 1580 to 1583 for 40 frescoes to take their places on both sides of the gallery. Some maps have important cartographic value. The maps depict the areas of Italy that belong to the Papal States. At the very end of the gallery is a map of Italy during antiquity, and on the other side is a map of Italy modern at the time of writing the fresco (XVI century).

One of the regions of Italy in the gallery of geographical maps

During the Renaissance, it was quite popular to decorate the halls of palaces with geographical maps, for example, the Globe Hall in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence was decorated in a similar way.

On the way to one of the most remarkable parts of the palace, we looked into the inner courtyard of the Vatican, probably this is the whole personal life of the Vatican available to tourists. Nothing human is alien to the Holy Fathers, they love cars and drive them to Rome. The Vatican is so small that there is nowhere to go there.

Vatican courtyard

Stanza Raphael

I warmly recommend visiting these rooms with an audio guide. The stanzas, or simply rooms, were painted by Raphael and his students from 1508 to 1524 for Pope Julius II della Rovere. There are only 4 rooms. Each of these paintings was replicated in different palaces around the world. If you don’t know who these people are and what kind of plot it is, then it’s better to go to the store to choose wallpaper, the effect will be about the same. For example, espaliers repeating the Raphaelian scenes "Constantine before his army", "The Expulsion of Heliodor from their Temple", "The School of Athens" and "Parnassus" are now exhibited in the Hermitage. Initially, they were made to decorate the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg.

So that you can get an idea of ​​the greatness of these murals, I will insert the official video of the Vatican Museums. I will not explain the plots, it can easily be stretched into an entire article. Yes, and those who wish can easily find everything on the Internet.

The next noteworthy stop will be the Borgia apartments.

Apartments Borgia

Fans of the series "Borgia" must stop here. The murals were made by Bernardino Pinturicchio (Pinturicchio in Italian means simply beautiful painting) at the very end of the 15th century, before the murals of Raphael, according to the mind, one should first look at them, and only then get acquainted with the stanzas of Raphael, but the route was drawn up so that in these the rooms can only be accessed after the chambers of Julius II, successor and rival of Alexander VI Borgia.

People who watched the series will remember this story. Pope Alexander VI Borgia is still considered a lecher, a murderer and a very bad person - this is the official version. According to the unofficial version, he lost in the political struggle to his opponents and they denigrated him, attributed to him and even his children all imaginable and unimaginable sins. He is even accused of corrupting his 13-year-old daughter Lucrezia.

Alexander VI certainly did not suffer from modesty, for example, he placed his image on a fresco with the well-known religious plot of the Resurrection of Christ. But in this he was no different from his followers. In the church near the Pantheon, we saw Cardinal Carafu inserted into the plot of the Annunciation.

Resurrection of Christ, Pope Borgia is depicted in this fresco

But this dirty story is not all the interesting and mysterious that the Borgia apartments have to offer. Our scientists G.V.Nosovsky, A.T.Fomenko calculated the date encrypted on the ceiling of the Sibyl Hall. They believe that the date on the ceiling is August 28, 1228 AD, and it corresponds to the creation of the Ptolemaic system of the world. Official historical science believes that the Ptolemaic system of the world order appeared in the 2nd century AD. Not docking in 1000 years is evident. The calculations of G.V. Nosovsky, A.T. Fomenko are published on the Internet, those who wish can familiarize themselves and form their own opinion.

The Sistine Chapel

In Rome, I was struck all the way by the close interweaving of pagan and Christian symbols. This feeling reached its climax in the Sistine Chapel. Could you imagine that the hierarchs of the Orthodox Church held their meetings in such a hall? And the fathers of the Catholic Church arrange their conclaves in the Sistine Chapel, it is here that they choose the new Pope.

This is a buggy 3D panorama of the Sistine Chapel from the official website of the Vatican, it always offers to save the music file, ignore it.

Initially, Michelangelo painted all the figures completely naked with all the anatomical details; loincloths were added to them much later. The sibyls are again present on the ceiling. I read the Bible and remember well that the idea runs like a red thread through the entire Old Testament that fortunetellers and soothsayers are an abomination in the face of the Lord. And in Rome, in almost every church, fortune-tellers are depicted in the form of sibyls.

Taking pictures in the Sistine Chapel is not allowed at all. The fact is that the Italians did not have money to restore the chapel. They were forced to sell to a Japanese company that invested in the restoration. The Japanese received exclusive filming rights in the chapel. At the moment when we examined the chapel of people in it, it was like being on a bus at rush hour. Everyone stood shoulder to shoulder and listened to their audio guides. I saw the magnificent floor of the Sistine Chapel only on a 3D panorama.

If you go left after the Sistine Chapel, you can get into St. Peter's Basilica without a queue, and to the right you can continue visiting museums.

In general, we spent 5 hours to inspect the described part of the Vatican Museums, but everything is individual. Official guided tours of the Vatican Museums usually fit in 2-3 hours. If you take your own audio guide, you can probably go there for 8 hours. Museums have cafes where you can have a bite to eat - not tasty and expensive. I don’t even know what I wanted more to sit down or something to eat. There are definitely more seats, but there were no empty seats in the cafe, only standing tables. People ate while sitting on the stairs. Some rooms have benches.

You can go to the Vatican Museums, like the Hermitage, many times, each time choosing something new. We did not go to the Pinakothek and out of 26 museums we visited only 9, and even then not completely, but we were overwhelmed with impressions. Some museums are of interest only to specialists, such as lapidariums.

Have you been to the Vatican Museums? How long did it take you for the inspection? What did you find interesting for yourself?

Do you want to travel to Rome on your own? Read in one article. You will learn: about all types of airport transfers (price), about the cost of tickets for public transport, get a plan for exploring the city for 6 days, where is the best place to buy tickets to museums in Rome and avoid queues.

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The Vatican has always been a mysterious and significant place for me. Very often we perceive it as one of the sights of Rome, sometimes not thinking about the fact that this is a whole state with its own laws and rules, legends and history. One of the largest museums in the world and St. Peter's Cathedral, which is important for the entire Catholic world, is located here.

About the Vatican State itself, as well as how best to plan a visit to it and the Vatican Museums, what to look for and how to make your stay here comfortable, I decided to ask the creator and ideological inspirer of the project about Rome @sognare_roma wonderful Lena.

Lena, hello! Please tell us a little about yourself)

Hello! My name is Lena, I am from St. Petersburg, I have been living in Rome for 10 years. I came here after graduating from the Faculty of International Relations of St. Petersburg State University to enter the second higher education at the University of Rome "La Sapienza". Now I have two diplomas and a license to guide Rome. Also, I am an employee of the Vatican Museums and a guide to the Holy See.

While studying at the guide courses, I met my "co-pilot", partner and friend Marina, an art historian from Moscow. I already had an idea in my head to create a club of unusual excursions, those that do not provide for classical routes for tourists. Marina supported me, and now we are working together at Sonjar Roma. It means "to dream of Rome", which is very well conveys our idea - to show Rome as we see it from the inside, as if walking around the city with dear friends. Our task is to make you fall in love with this city the way it once happened to us. We remember this feeling very well! Therefore, our motto is we do not sell services, but give emotions.

Together with us in the team is the most talented photographer Katya, as well as other guides, sommeliers and experts in Rome.

We constantly come up with new routes and try to diversify museum excursions. And on Instagram @sognare_roma I collect the most unusual Roman stories and hidden corners of Rome, which are not written about in guidebooks.

When planning a visit to the Vatican Museums, what you need to know. Is there some basic list of rules to follow?

When going to the Vatican, many do not always have a good idea of ​​what it consists of. The Vatican is a state surrounded by a wall. On its territory there is St. Peter's Cathedral, administrative buildings, gardens and museums of the Vatican (including the Sistine Chapel). As a rule, when we intend to “visit the Vatican”, we mean the first or the last, because it is there that everyone can freely get there. Entrance to the cathedral is free, and to museums it is enough to buy a ticket.

My first advice is to buy your ticket in advance on the Vatican website. Firstly, you will avoid long queues to the museum, and secondly, you will not fall for the bait of street promoters who will try to sell you more expensively as a “skip the line” along with a group tour. The activity of such persons in recent years has been teetering on the verge of illegality, the city authorities now prohibit it, then turn a blind eye. Arriving at the Vatican, you will literally have to wade through the crowd of sellers of excursion services attacking you. How does the circuit work? Under the guise of free information, they are trying to lure you into their neighborhood offices in order to join their group of random passers-by. Many promoters offer guided tours in Russian. Please note that the promoter is not a guide, but only a street agent. Further, when a group is recruited, a guide appears and leads the group to the museum. In general, there is nothing criminal in this system. If you ended up at the museum unprepared, didn’t buy a ticket in advance, and the line already threatens with hours of waiting, their help will allow you to get to the museum quickly and with a simplified group tour. Unless, of course, you wait at the agency until the group is gathered, as long as you wait in line to enter the museum. In any case, the ticket + excursion package will not be the most advantageous in terms of price. When there are several people, it is cheaper and more pleasant to take an individual guide who will give you a tour according to your wishes and interests. In the case of street agencies, if you are lucky, you will enjoy the tour, although it is unlikely to be developed. Such a guide needs to lead as many groups as possible in a day, and he simply does not have time for details. The very best guides in Rome have such a flood of requests for weeks ahead that it is not profitable for them to work for street agencies through promoters. Therefore, if you are looking for quality services and a good tour, do it in advance.

As for the rules in the museum, they are quite simple. The dress code "covered shoulders and knees" is necessary not only for the museum, but for the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Cathedral. Photography is allowed inside the museum without a flash, in the cathedral it does not matter. The only strict exception is no photos or videos in the Sistine Chapel , the guards are watching. If they notice you trying to photograph something, you can run into trouble. Loud conversations and explanations of the guide in the chapel are also prohibited. Just relax and enjoy the beauty, no photo will convey it like your eyes when you are inside this treasure!

Lena, is it true that the queue for entry is always very long here? Perhaps there are “happy days” when it can be avoided?

The queue is an unpredictable phenomenon, but it is more likely to be there than not. It is always better to play it safe and buy tickets in advance. It may happen that the queue appears at a time when it is not expected. It happens that it is raining and there is a traffic jam at the security control at the entrance. Or on a certain day, just an unforeseen influx of visitors.

But there are still some patterns. For example, unlike other museums in the world ,The Vatican is closed on Sunday but is open on Monday . That is why on Monday you can expect more visitors here. Saturday is also a difficult day, because the Romans themselves join the tourists. During the week, I would not recommend going to the Vatican on Wednesday: in the morning it will not be possible to get from the museum to the cathedral because of the Papal audience in the square, and after it is over, everyone will rush to the museum. It turns out that the most successful days to visit are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I will add - in the afternoon. Many travelers "perform" the excursion program in the morning in order to relax and walk in a relaxed mode in the afternoon. Therefore, in the mornings in the Vatican there are always crowds. Come after 2.30 pm and you will find the museum half empty. Entrance is open until 4 pm, but you can stay in the museum until 6 pm, in the Sistine Chapel until 5.30 pm, and in the cathedral until 6.30 pm – 7 pm. There will be enough time for everything, but the impression will be completely different. From May to October, I always advise you to come to the museum on Friday evenings from 19 to 22, when it is specially opened.

Do not underestimate the time of your visit to the Vatican, because your experience largely depends on the comfortable environment. During the high season, 15,000 to 30,000 people visit the museum every day. In the heat, it's like being tortured by the Moscow metro during rush hour, trying to get through the crowds in the narrow galleries. Choose less frequented hours!

The Vatican Museums have dozens of halls, each of which is of interest to visitors. It seems to me that there is a high probability of simply drowning in a sea of ​​information and an abundance of beauty around. To avoid such a situation, can you advise how best to plan a visit?

The Vatican really has a lot of different collections, which is why the "Vatican Museums" are pronounced in the plural. It is simply impossible to cover them all in one visit, even if you spend the whole day in the Vatican. Therefore, the best option is to get acquainted with the main route during the first visit, and on the next visit, leave time for other departments. At the box office, along with the ticket, you can take a map of the museum.

In any case, the Vatican is an easy museum in terms of the itinerary. Usually everyone is interested in looking at Sistine Chapel . Since it is located at the far end of the museum, you will have to go through the long gallery on the second floor where the most famous halls are located. Next, you can decide if you want to lengthen the route by looking at archaeological department or rooms painted by Raphael . After the Sistine Chapel, you have two options. The left door from the chapel will lead back to the museum, from where you can go through a long gallery to the exit. The right one will allow you to immediately be at the entrance to St. Peter's Cathedral . I always use the second option as I end my tours at the cathedral. If it is included in your program, then you will save a lot of time. Otherwise, you will have to go around the outside of the Vatican wall and waste time on a new control in the square, which can take an extra hour.

Even if you don't usually go on excursions, the Vatican I always recommend the help of a guide or at least an audio guide . Of course, you won’t get lost anyway, because the entire flow of visitors usually moves in one direction, but there is a big risk of passing by the most interesting masterpieces and not noticing them.

What if I am traveling with a child? Are there any options for interactive tours for children? maybe there is a shorter route? What can you suggest?

For children from 5 to 12 years old, museums have a special audio guide and a children's card . The itinerary remains the same, but the stories are adapted for younger visitors to keep them interested. True, this option is not yet available in Russian.

I often happen to lead excursions for families with children. If parents want the excursion to please the child first of all, then it is necessary to focus only on him, leaving the idea of ​​​​covering the entire museum in a few hours. Children get tired faster, so the visit may be somewhat shorter and not include all the mandatory items of the "adult" program. For example, kids are very interested in the Egyptian Museum where we rarely go on traditional excursions.

Also, we look into the hall with animal statues (marble zoo) and pavilion with real papal carriages and cars . Children are interested in solving riddles, they pay attention to something else and perceive jokes differently, so the emphasis on the tour, of course, shifts. It is important not to bore them with dates and names, but to turn a visit to the museum into an exciting game in order not only to have a good time, but also to remember something.

Can you name three things you should definitely see in the Vatican Museums?

First of all, of course Sistine Chapel . She needs no comment, and thousands of tourists who come to museums every day know about it. For many, the chapel is the main goal in the museum, and perhaps if it could be accessed from the cathedral, the museums would be half empty.

But I always tell my guests: those who worked in the Sistine Chapel or were involved in other projects of the Vatican - Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini - were inspired by the museum's collections. No visit Pio Clementine Museum it is impossible to understand why the figures of people in the paintings of Michelangelo are so muscular, and where the poet Homer from the paintings of Raphael got the face of the statue of an ancient priest. All this is a school for the Vatican geniuses, their models . Therefore, in museums, you can’t miss the ancient collection of masterpieces. Laocoon group, Belvedere torso, Roman copy of Apollo Belvedere… Not to mention the fact that the windows of the palace offer a beautiful view of the city.

I will also mention my favorite gallery of maps , created by order of Pope Gregory XIII at the end of the 16th century. This is the same Pope, thanks to whom we live according to the new Gregorian calendar!

The gallery is so beautiful that even at the entrance, visitors groan in surprise - “is this already the Sistine Chapel”? Luxurious ceiling and walls decorated with 500-year-old fresco maps. Here you can see Italian and (now) foreign lands and seas in an era when there were no planes and satellites.

And yet, the accuracy of the frescoes is amazing. Here you can spend hours looking at the cities from a bird's eye view and looking for all the points from your travels in Italy.

Being in museums, we are on the territory of the Vatican State. Right? Can you tell us a little about his life? Usually this is not written in guidebooks.

An entire book could be written about this! I'm afraid I won't have enough of a small paragraph 🙂
When I first entered the territory of the Vatican, passing through the service entrance, I felt like Alice in Wonderland. Here, most of the cars had different numbers (SCV is an abbreviation on Vatican cars), I was surrounded by priests and nuns, gendarmes in colored Smarts and Swiss guards. Everyone was in a hurry to do their own thing. The papal palace towered before the eyes from an unusual angle that tourists do not see from the square.

The Vatican is a state, with all the necessary attributes. There are offices, a barracks, shops, a post office, a first-aid post, gas stations, a railway, a helipad and much more.. I was surprised to learn that prices in the Vatican supermarket and shopping center are 20-30% lower than in Italy - like in duty free, we are abroad! True, only employees, citizens and members of the diplomatic corps can get here. The mall itself is located in an old station building, where it is very unusual to see mannequins with Armani suits or a department with refrigerators and TVs in historical interiors.

There are few citizens of the Vatican, just over 600 people. , but not everyone is eligible for a Vatican passport for life. Most of all in the territory of the state it is employees who are not citizens.

Not everyone knows that the territory of the Vatican is not limited to a small patch of 44 hectares on the right bank of the Tiber. In addition to numerous palaces, the Pope has a "dacha" - a residence in Castel Gandolfo on the lake, 24 km from Rome . In size, it is even larger than the Vatican itself. Despite the fact that the current Pope Francis does not spend his holidays there, the benefits of this residence are undeniable. Daily Farm Castel Gandolfo (Ville Pontificie) supplies the Vatican and all its inhabitants with fresh milk, cheeses, yoghurts and eggs. They can be bought in the Vatican supermarket for employees. The farm has olive groves that produce the highest quality olive oil. The Pope also has donkeys and even an ostrich. Nothing threatens him, he just shares the paddock with his four-legged neighbors - these are all gifts to the Popes. At the same time, all agricultural production is carried out exclusively in a "Christian" way - without machines and chemical fertilizers, instead of them manure from the stables is used.

And in the Vatican Gardens there is also a small garden, which is looked after by the nuns. . From here, lettuce, legumes, artichokes and citruses come to Pape's table. From the Vatican lemons and oranges, the nuns make jam according to old Benedictine recipes.
I can continue for a very long time 🙂 On excursions in the Vatican, I always show our guests my photos taken “behind the scenes” - with the Papal cows, the Pope's palace, costumes, cars and much more.

As far as I know, there are many interesting stories and legends associated with the history of the Vatican. Can you tell us one of your favorites?

There are really a lot of legends, I don’t even know which one to choose.

For example, wonderful elephant story . I am very touched by stories about pets of the pontiffs. Maybe because it reveals their simple human nature.
At the beginning of the 16th century, the Medici Pope Leo X had an albino elephant, Annon. It was presented as a gift to the pontiff by King Manuel of Avisa of Portugal. The elephant, in turn, came to the king from India along with another rare animal - the rhinoceros. The rumor about outlandish creatures quickly spread throughout Europe. Both the king and sent to the Pope on the occasion of accession to the throne. The ship with the rhinoceros was caught in a storm and sank along with the precious gift. And the elephant made it to Rome safe and sound. Papa Leo was delighted. Upon the arrival of Annon (the Pope named him after the general of the army Hannibal), a solemn procession was arranged, during which, in front of an astonished crowd, leopards, panthers, rare turkeys and special breeds of horses were led through the streets along with the elephant. The hero of the occasion, Annon, marched with dignity, carrying on his back a canopy with gifts and jewels for the Pope. Approaching the throne of Leo X, the elephant fell on his knee in greeting, and then, obeying the instructions of the trainer, scooped up water from the trough with his trunk and doused all the cardinals and ordinary people with a cold shower.
The pope fell in love with his pet so much that he ordered the construction of a stall for him in the Belvedere courtyard, and every time he made him an honorary participant in Roman processions. The townspeople did not get tired of admiring the treasure, marveling at his obedience and intelligence. The elephant had his own servant and doctor at the court.
True, Anton's age turned out to be short-lived, despite the love of the entire Papal court. Apparently, the climate of Rome turned out to be too damp for him, and in the winter of 1516 Annon fell seriously ill with a sore throat, against which even the drugs of a personal doctor were powerless - the elephant died. Papa could not find a place for himself from grief, ordering to bury his beloved pet in the garden. In memory of him, he commissioned the genius Rafael Santi for a painting depicting Annona, which, unfortunately, has not come down to us. But the white elephant was still immortalized more than once in painting and sculpture. It can still be seen in the Vatican - on the door leaf of the personal office of Leo X in the stanzas (rooms) of Raphael's work there is a relief with an elephant.

Now the Popes have much more modest pets. For example, the "retired" Pope Benedict XVI is a well-known cat person, and now he has two cats living in the Vatican - the Countess and Zorro.

The website of the Vatican says that visiting is possible every day from 8 to 19. Are there any important holidays when it is impossible to get there?

In fact, it's not a very accurate clock. The museum opens for entry at 8, but only some agencies that have an agreement with the Vatican, and those who purchase the “breakfast at the museum” service on the website of the Vatican Museums, get there in the first hour. Ordinary visitors enter from 9 am to 4 pm. You can stay inside the museum until 6 pm.

The museum is closed on major church holidays Catholic calendar, there are 10 of them in a year. In order not to accidentally fall into one of them, check the museum's calendar for the current year, which is on its website. Also, I do not recommend visiting the museum on the days before and immediately after such holidays - usually there are always a lot of people.

It is impossible to be in the Vatican and not go to St. Peter's Basilica. What would you advise to pay attention to while being here?

The cathedral makes an incredible impression on everyone who happens to be here, if only because of its size! In addition to the obvious - marble, statues, mosaics - admire some masterpieces. For example, in the first chapel on the right there is a statue of "Lamentation" (Pietà) by the young Michelangelo - it was she who brought him fame and orders in Rome. This is an amazing combination of tenderness, skill and deep meaning, which can be seen in the details.

There is another interesting statue, it is located in the far chapel of the left nave. This monument to Pope Alexander VII Chigi by Bernini . The sculptor skillfully conveys the folds of a huge canvas of Sicilian jasper, as if it were a real fabric. She hides the floating figure of death in the form of a winged skeleton. But there are still many secrets in the design of the monument!

If you are lucky be in St. Peter's Cathedral on a sunny summer day at the hour of the evening mass (beginning at 17) , then you will hear not only the divine sounds of the organ and choir, but also become witnesses of an amazing spectacle. The rays of the sun pouring from the windows under the dome turn into vertical spotlights, illuminating the canopy of the altar. It's indescribably beautiful!

While preparing the article, I found information that, according to tradition, in Rome it is impossible to build buildings that would be higher than the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. This is true?

You correctly noted that such a tradition exists in Rome. But the point is that it is just a tradition, without any written prohibitions and instructions. This was emphasized even by the experts of the Vatican archive in an interview with the press. There are no legal acts specifying the maximum height of buildings allowed for construction in Rome. Nevertheless, already from the end of the 19th century, when the issue of a new development of the city became more acute than ever, urban planning projects were adopted that prescribed moderation in building to guarantee the harmonious appearance of the historical center. Again, no numbers appear here.

Even in the Lateran Accords, which approved the status of the state of the Vatican, signed between Italy and the Holy See in 1929, this was not directly mentioned. But the Romans are very fond of legends, even if they run counter to historical facts and common sense. Perhaps someone really wanted to prove to the world that the Vatican needed to “grab the last straw” and prove its superiority in the form of the tallest building, even if nothing was left of its former political power. It is not surprising that the story was liked and taken root by the people. To such an extent that another one arose in its place at the time of the construction of a mosque in Rome in 1980-90. Roman rumor claimed that the architect Paolo Portoghesi was forced to reduce the height of the minaret, originally envisaged in the project, so as not to exceed the Vatican dome and not cause religious scandals. It is also nothing more than someone's fantasy. In any case, if the architect was planning a different height, and someone influenced him, we will never know about it 🙂

The most lively controversy on the topic of the mythical ban broke out in the press about six years ago. when the mayor of Alemanno was still in power. He promoted the project of new development of sleeping areas and proposed to build skyscrapers there. It was then that the Romans remembered again that their urban tradition was nothing more than a legend. However, not a single high-rise building in the city has yet been built, despite projects and rumors.

Do not forget that in Rome there is a small, but seismic risk. There have been no strong earthquakes here for two centuries. As a rule, the epicenter is located not in Rome, but in neighboring areas, but the city can also get it. For example, due to earthquakes in the 14th and 18th centuries, medieval towers, church bell towers and an impressive part of the Colosseum were destroyed. Therefore, urban plans should take into account not only new technologies, but also the height of buildings.

Lena, is it possible to understand when the Pope is in the Vatican or is he away? For example, you can always tell by the flag at Buckingham Palace whether the queen is at home or not. Is there something similar in the Vatican?

No, there is no such tradition in the Vatican. Usually, if the Pope is not in Rome, some weekly events are cancelled. For example, an audience on the square on Wednesdays. The pontiff reads the Sunday sermon on his travels or in the summer palace of Castel Gandolfo, if he is there. When Pope Benedict XVI was, he lived in the Apostolic Palace, whose windows overlook the square. In the evenings, one could see a light on in his bedroom window. The current Pope Francis lives in a different residence, which is not visible because of the walls of the Vatican. But there are no other signs of the presence of the Pope in the Vatican.

And finally, can you tell us when is the best time to come to Rome?

From what point of view! If you want to see museums without crowds and rush, come to end of January when the winter holidays are over, in February, early March or late November . This is the lowest tourist season, which means that hordes from cruise ships and numerous groups will not interfere with acquaintance with beauty. But here you need to hope for good weather. Warm sunny winters happen in Rome, when the temperature stays at around +15, and there is no rain at all. But you may not be lucky, you will end up on a rainy week when you don’t even want to leave the hotel, and the impression will be spoiled.

If there is a desire to catch pleasant weather and magnificent colors, choose autumn and spring . In Rome, there is a capacious expression "ottobrate romane", which literally means "wonderful October days", but I would simply translate it as "Indian summer". Great weather for walking and no heat. At the end of March and April in Rome, too, the weather is wonderful, wisteria and cherry blossoms. But be sure to look at what period the Catholic Easter falls on and come before it. It is from Easter that the high season starts in Rome, when students and schoolchildren come here for vacations, pilgrims and just tourists.

Always check the weather a week before you arrive in Rome . Answer the question "what is the weather like in Rome in November/March/May?" (underline as appropriate) is simply impossible - everything can change every year.

Lena, thank you very much for the Interview and... see you in the Vatican!

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The Vatican is one of the smallest states in the world. The city-state of the Vatican is located on the territory of Rome, it is the central object for all the Catholics of the earth. Here is the Holy See - the modern administrative body of the Catholic Church. You can list the regalia of the Vatican for a long time, for example, this is the only country where the official language is Latin.

Pio Clementino Museum in the Vatican

By the way, all the attributes of a secular state are present here - it has its own flag and coat of arms, a constitution, banknotes, as well as postage stamps that almost all philatelists in the world dream of.

The border of the State of the Vatican is only a little over three kilometers long. On guard of the borders of the Vatican are:

• noble guard;
• palace guard;
• the gendarmerie of the Pope himself;
• Swiss Guard.

Most of the territory of the state is not accessible to tourists. By the way, it is impossible to get to the Vatican right away - there is no own airport (as well as a TV channel or its own mobile operator), so first you need to get to Rome. And the state of the Vatican itself is located right in the very center of Rome, and you may not even notice how you cross the border of the capital of Italy and this tiny state. To go to the Vatican you need or have any other European state.

Map of the Vatican showing the main attractions

There are no outposts, border guards or other distinguishing features of crossing the border.

It is impossible to obtain citizenship of the Vatican - only citizenship of the Holy See. By the way, this status is not possible to obtain in any way, except for special deeds for the Catholic Church.

Less than a thousand people live in the Vatican - 842 people according to last year's data, all of these people in one way or another serve the church cause and are Catholics. There are practically no weddings here, the birth of babies is rarely celebrated - most often the Vaticans gather in order to bury one of the townspeople.

As already mentioned, there is no airport on the territory of the Vatican. The nearest airport in Rome receives international flights of Aeroflot and Alitalia, which are made daily.

Also in the Vatican there is a railway station, Roma San Pietro station. By rail, you can get to the Vatican from Rome and nearby territories, electric trains and trains run almost all the time, about five times in one hour. From the main station in Rome to the station in the Vatican - twenty minutes.

You can visit Catholic Mecca at any time, the mild climate of Italy allows tourists to enjoy the views at any time of the year. In July and August, the hottest here, the temperature is kept at thirty-five degrees, however, in relation to the Vatican, this statement is not entirely true.

St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican

The bulk of St. Peter's Cathedral gives tourists coolness, and the Sistine Chapel maintains a special temperature regime that is favorable for murals and frescoes. By the way, a beautiful Christmas tree is set up in the Vatican for Christmas, and the Eternal City during the Christmas holidays is the most pleasant place.

It is not possible to solve the housing issue in the Vatican, there are no hotels and hotels, so all accommodation options are only in Rome.

The capital of Italy can hardly be called cheap, so it should be borne in mind that high-level hotels will cost significantly more than in less popular countries. It is also impossible to eat in the Vatican - of course, you cannot die of hunger here, there are cafes at the museums, and there you can drink coffee with cakes or sandwiches.
Most often, tourists dine in Rome, and return to the Vatican for spiritual food.

Why go to the Vatican

Where is the state of the Vatican? For those who want to find the Vatican on the map or right in Rome, the white line will be a clue - it is this line that separates the Vatican from Rome along the outer line of the square around St. Peter's Basilica. In addition to the white line, part of the Vatican is protected by a high wall - this impregnable structure was erected a long time ago, more than four centuries ago.

A solid structure was supposed to protect the supreme Catholics from any aggression. The square is usually open to visitors, but it also happens that it is closed - usually these are security measures for holding solemn and official events.

What to see in St. Peter's Square

It is better to go down to the square from Sant'Angelo, the street of Reconciliation leads there from the castle - of course, the guidebooks scold it mercilessly, but only here you can enjoy one of the optical illusion effects.

Panoramic view of Reconciliation Street and St. Peter's Basilica

The fact is that the dome in the process of movement will gradually disappear - this is because the facade of the cathedral is significantly pushed forward. The square itself is a fascinating place, and there is a lot of interesting things besides the cathedral.

In the middle of the square there is an obelisk made of granite - an ancient Egyptian observer of the execution of one of the apostles (it is easy to guess that Peter himself), in the upper part of the obelisk you can see perfectly preserved fragments of the Holy Cross.

Bernini's colonnade is located around the square, and in the center, near the obelisk, there are circles indicating the geometric center of Bernini's building. If you stand in a circle, the colonnade becomes translucent - this is another optical effect of the greatest architectural structure.

On the right side of the square behind the colonnade you can see the Apostolic Palace. This is one of the funniest buildings in the Vatican.

The building of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican

The fact is that the Apostolic residence was built without an architectural plan - each new pope, who sat on the throne, completed the construction of the palace of the Apostles at his own discretion. The first palace from the square requires special attention - in the second window on the right you can see the pope himself, who blesses all those gathered on Sundays at noon.

Guardsmen also deserve the attention of tourists. You can see them near the Bronze Gates of the Basilica, at the cathedral exit, behind the left side of the colonnade near the papal auditorium (the guardsmen are easily identified by their yellow, blue and red striped uniforms). Near the gate to Sant'Angelico, you can see the ordinary, undress uniform of the guards - blue tones.

The left corner of the beautiful square attracts many tourists, the Vatican post office is located here - tourists from all over the world send postcards with local stamps from here.
The square can also be visited at night - everything is well lit here.

Saint Paul's Cathedral

This is the second most popular among tourists Roman and, accordingly, the Vatican attraction. The first is the Colosseum. The doors of the cathedral are open from early morning until evening, tourists come here already at seven in the morning.

It is difficult to plan a visit to St. Peter's Basilica in advance, it is difficult to predict. Just going around St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican is enough for half an hour, if you pay attention to each sculpture, it will take at least two hours, and if you still pay attention to the treasury, climb the dome, visit the grottoes, then even a day may not be enough.
The treasuries display various relics, tiaras of popes, and many other treasures that will attract not only lovers of jewelry and history, but also those who are ready to admire beauty. There is also a memorial plaque with a list of popes who are buried in the cathedral itself.

By the way, it should be borne in mind that you won’t be able to see the entire cathedral - most of it is closed to the public. In order to see those parts of it that are interesting, it is best to stock up on a plan - it will indicate altars, chapels, tombs and other historical and cultural values.

Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums are various museums and exhibition halls, the total length of which is nine kilometers. What will tourists see there? Traces of the culture of ancient and modern civilizations, mysterious statues of pharaohs and stunning mummies, the amazing beauty of Michelangelo's creations, Raphael's Stanzas and the unimaginable bust of the Pope with a red nose - tourists rub it.

The cost of visiting all the Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel) is 16 euros.

The Pinakothek deserves special attention; it has amazing collections of Byzantine and Roman school paintings dating back to the earliest milestones in human history. The Vatican Pinakothek was founded at the end of the 18th century. A collection of works at different times adorned the papal chambers, until one day it was collected first in the Belvedere Palace, and then in a separate building, which was erected especially for it.

Belvedere Palace building

The Sistine Chapel used to be a house church in the Vatican, and the modern chapel is a museum of Renaissance art, as well as a meeting place for the conclave where the new pope is elected by the cardinals. The art of the High Renaissance, the Sistine Chapel receives about ten thousand people a day in order to show the stunning murals of Botticelli and Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio and Perugino hidden behind its walls.