With a population of just 800, Vatican City is the smallest independent country in the world in terms of both population and area, so I’m guessing they won’t be fielding a bobsled team at the Sochi Olympics next year. But that’s ok because the Vatican is truly an incredible place to visit, even without an Olympics team.
First up are the Vatican Museums which house an enormous collection of tapestries, sculptures, mosaics, sarcophagi, porcelain, maps, art, and, most famous of all, Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. I was bowled over by the quantity of items on display and by the spectrum of artists with pieces hanging on the walls.
Some of the architecture within the museums is quite noteworthy, in particular the spiral staircase just before exiting the building.
A large courtyard encircled by a wall of columns leads to St. Peter’s Basilica. The obelisk standing in the center, one of about 25 Egyptian obelisks worldwide outside of Egypt, was brought by Caligula. St. Peter was crucified near this obelisk and so it was later moved here as a testament to his death. The church itself was named for St. Peter who is believed to be buried underneath the altar of this large Renaissance church. The present church took over a century to build before it was completed in 1626.
The tall vaulted ceilings and 450 foot dome make the interior feel massive, despite the inevitable number of tourists ambling around.
In addition to painting the neighboring Sistine Chapel and being among the many who helped design the basilica during its construction, Michelangelo’s late 15th century sculpture Pietà is displayed in St. Peter’s. The sculpture, featuring a youthful Mary holding Jesus after crucifixion, resides behind bulletproof glass after it was attacked in 1972 by a hammer wielding geologist.
It’s worth the entrance fee to climb the series of circular and ridiculously narrow staircases up to the roof where you’ll be rewarded with a view of the Vatican and Rome. When I visited, the Vatican’s gardens were not open to the public, so I was glad to at least see them from above.
Back down on the ground, I caught the flamboyantly dressed Swiss Guard as they most unceremoniously changed the guard.
