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Rome tourism - Vatican City
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Vatican City (Città del Vaticano)

All you need to know about the Eternal City

Rome is a city where in every corner you have a reminder of the sacred world. That’s why I have sacred music, minimalist sacred music, which is also music I like, because at the end of the day, that’s what I want to do Paolo Sorrentino

The Vatican City is the smallest independent sovereign state in the world with government, statutes and head of state of it's own.
Although it covers just a few acres of land, it holds within its boundaries the residence of the Pope, the site of St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Saint Peter's Basilica

Built in 1506 over St. Peter's tomb remains, Saint Peter's Basilica is the world largest Basilica.
In 1547 Michelangelo took over and simplified Bramante's previous plan, increasing the scale. At his death in 1954, one of Michelangelo's students, Giacomo della Porta, looked after the erection of the Dome following the master's design. Magnificent sculptures from Bernini, Michelangelo and many other great "Maestri" can be admired in the Basilica.

In the Basilica you can also visit the Treasury (9am - 6pm, October - March 9am - 5pm); the Vatican Grottoes (1pm - 6pm; October - March 7am - 5pm) and the Dome (8am - 6pm; October - March 8am - 4.30pm)

Opening hours: daily 7am - 7pm.
Transports: Bus 64

Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums comprise the papal apartments of the medieval apostolic Palace, frescoed during the Renaissance, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Apostolic Library, and the Museums themselves. The first actual Museums (the Pio-Clementine Museum, the Gallery of the Candelabra, the Chiaramonti Museum and the Inscription Gallery), devoted to classical Greco-Roman statuary, were founded by the popes of the 18th and 19th centuries and later enlarged in the 18th Century, with the construction of new buildings inspired by the Roman Imperial architecture.
In the 19th century three other Museums were created by pope Gregory XVI:

In the 20th century, the Vatican collection was rearranged in the Pinacoteca, a new building set aside for the purpose.
Later on, in 1973, three other collections were arranged in the same building:

Both the Sistine Chapel and the "Raphael's Rooms" are a 20-30 minute walk from the Museums' entrance. As they are very crowded you'd better arrive very early in the morning.

Opening hours: Mondays - Fridays 9am - 5pm and Saturdays 9am - 2pm (October - June Mondays - Saturdays 9am - 2pm). Last Sunday of the month 9am - 5pm (October - June 9am - 2pm)
Transports: Bus 64 to Piazza San Pietro; Buses 28, 81, 492 to Piazza del Risorgimento or Metro: Ottaviano