THE VATICAN

The City State of the Vatican is the smallest country in the world, though it still boasts its own postal service, newspaper, radio station and army (the famous Swiss Guards).

In spite of its size, the Vatican contains the largest number of masterpieces in the world!
Your guide will tell you the story of the architectural development of the site, explaining how the lowly tomb of a humble fisherman – Peter – became the world centre of Christianity.

Our tour begins in Piazza S. Pietro, Bernini’s masterpiece; it’s bounded by two semicircular colonnades, designed to symbolically enclose all the Christians of the world. 
In the centre of the square there is the Egyptian obelisk that once was in the Caligula’s circus: here, according to the tradition, Peter was martyred.  We will also see the window from which on Sunday the Pope recites the Angelus at noon.

Then, we will go into the Basilica, the largest in the world: it took more than 150 years to complete  (from the beginning of the 16th century to the first half of the 17th century), involving many artists, including Bramante, Antonio da Sangallo, Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta and Carlo Maderno.
The interior is really a jewel-case of masterpieces: certainly you will recognise Michelangelo’s famous, immensely sad Pietà, at the beginning of the right aisle.

Your attention will be attracted by Bernini’s majestic bronze baldacchino (canopy) that stands 29 m high in the centre of the Basilica, exactly on St. Peter’s sepulchre.

From the Piazza, we will walk towards the Vatican Museum’s entrance: which houses an incredible collection of works of art, accumulated by the Popes during past centuries. 
We will admire ancient statues, such as the famous Apollo Belvedere and the Laocoön; the “Raphael Rooms”, the private apartments of Pope Julius II, painted by the Master and his pupils; but the Cappella Sistina (Sistine Chapel) will certainly leave you speechless; it was built for Pope Sixtus IV (this is the reason for its name) and it is used for the conclave which elects the Pope.

The guide will explain to you Michelangelo’s wonderful frescoes, the Genesis (Creation) on the barrel-vaulted ceiling, and the Giudizio Universale (Last Judgment) on the end wall, and the other frescoes painted on the chapel’s walls by famous Renaissance artists including Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Signorelli, Perugino and Pinturicchio.

Duration - 3½ hours.