World Heritage Photos

Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world. It is a walled enclave within the city of Rome in Italy and is considered one of the most sacred places of Christianity. Vatican City is the seat of the Pope and the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. St. Peter's Basilica is situated in the centre of Vatican City. This enormous basilica was built between 1506 and 1626 over the burial site of Saint Peter the Apostle. Already in the beginning of the 4th century a basilica was built on the same spot; this basilica was ordered by Emperor Constantine I. The most renowned and principal designers and painters of St. Peter's Basilica are Donato Bramante, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Carlo Maderno and Michelangelo Buonarroti. St. Peter's Basilica is one of the largest churches in the world. The basilica is also a famous work of Renaissance art and architecture. Other important buildings in Vatican City are the Vatican Palace, the imposing Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums, renowned for the double spiral staircase. Along with Jerusalem and Santiago de Compostela, Vatican City and Rome are the most important Christian pilgrimage destinations in the world. Vatican City gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

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   Vatican City: St. Peter's Basilica and the Egyptian obelisk by night. The huge dome of the basilica dominates the skyline of Rome. Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world; it is situated inside the city of Rome. Vatican City is one of the most sacred places of Christianity and the seat of the Pope. St. Peter's Basilica is situated in this spiritual heart of Christianity. Vatican City became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

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   Vatican City: St. Peter's Basilica is located within Vatican City. This impressive basilica is one of the largest churches in the world. The present basilica was built between 1506 and 1626. It was constructed on the site where the apostle Saint Peter was martyred, crucified and buried in AD 64. Vatican City is the papal enclave inside the city of Rome.

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   Vatican City: Saint Peter's Square is situated in front of St. Peter's Basilica. This huge basilica is a renowned work of Renaissance art and architecture. St. Peter's Basilica is the burial place of its namesake, the apostle Saint Peter. Saint Peter is considered the first Bishop of Rome: the Pope. St. Peter's Basilica is famous as a place of Christian pilgrimage.

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   Vatican City: Pope John Paul II in front of St. Peter's Basilica. The basilica is situated on the Mons Vaticanus, the 75-metre-high Vatican Hill. Already in the beginning of the 4th century, a basilica was built on the Mons Vaticanus over the burial site of Saint Peter the Apostle. This early basilica was ordered by Emperor Constantine I, also known as Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman emperor. Vatican City was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1984.

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   Vatican City: Pope John Paul II in front of St. Peter's Basilica, escorted by the Swiss Guard. On the left hand, a security guard stands in front of the Egyptian obelisk. In AD 37, this huge red-granite obelisk was brought from Egypt to Italy by the Roman Emperor Gaius Caligula. Since 1586, this Egyptian obelisk has stood at the centre of Saint Peter's Square in Rome. This ancient Egyptian obelisk symbolises the triumph of Christianity over paganism.

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   Vatican City: A Swiss Guard in his traditional uniform. The Swiss Guard is responsible for the safety of the Pope, but he also serves as a ceremonial escort to the Pope. The Swiss Guard has been protecting the Pope for over 500 years. The Swiss Guard is the smallest army in the world; the army consists of around 135 men. These present colourful uniforms were designed in 1914 by Jules Repond, one of the commanders of the Swiss Guard.

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   Vatican City: The Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica is opened only for great celebrations, such as the Jubilee year, which is celebrated every 25 or 50 years. This door is bricked up on the inside. It is ceremoniously opened by the Pope on the first day of a Jubilee year and will be closed by the Pope at the end of a Jubilee year or Holy Year. The ceremonial opening of this bronze door symbolizes the opening to God's mercy. It depicts scenes of sin, redemption and divine mercy.

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   Vatican City: St. Peter's Basilica houses the Pietà, sculpted by Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1499. At the age of 24, Michelangelo carved it from a single slab of Carrara marble. The Pietà depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. The Pietà is the only work Michelangelo Buonarroti ever signed. Although Michelangelo thought of himself primarily as a sculptor, his most famous work is the ceiling fresco of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

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   Vatican City: Saint Peter's tomb is below the altar with Bernini's baldacchino in St. Peter's Basilica. The principal designers of St. Peter's Basilica are Carlo Maderno, Donato Bramante, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Michelangelo. The basilica is a famous work of Renaissance art and architecture. The interior is decorated with marble reliefs, sculptures and other outstanding artworks. The basilica also houses the tombs of popes and other important people.

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    Vatican City: The Vatican Museums: the famous Bramante Staircase. This iconic spiral staircase was designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932. The ingenious staircase consists of two intertwined spiral staircases: one leading down, the other leading up. The Vatican Museums is a group of buildings inside the Apostolic Palaces; they house an immense collection of art; the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel are the highlights of this collection.