St. Peter's Basilica, symbol of the Vatican

Called by many names: City, Country or Holy See, it is actually a 44-hectare territory officially recognized by the Italian Government as an independent state in 1929 after much controversy. It is a country with no birth statistics, and visitors do not need a visa to visit.

Peter's Square, the Vatican's main gateway to the world

This territory has only peoplenumbered 840 in 2013, but has its own leadership system, headed by a governor in terms of government, its own bank (Institute of Education) and its famous guard force recruited from Switzerland.

The country sits on a hill, just outside the northwest gate of ancient Rome, surrounded by a high, fortified wall built in 800 AD, and peppered with security cameras.

Swiss Guards at a gate of the Vatican

The best place to see the entire Vatican is to climb to the top of St. Peter's Basilica. From here you can see 61 major buildings of the Vatican.

These structures were built one after another over the past thousand years, from the crypt of St. Peter to churches, chapels, papal palaces, museums, squares to the governor's house, helipad, train station, road system inside the Vatican...

The Wall, the visible border between the Vatican and Italy

Vatican green space seen from above

The garden system occupies 1/3 of the Vatican area, with many types of plants from many places in the world. The garden was designed and built in the Middle Ages with stone statues, scattered fountains, under rows of tall trees, below are lawns creating a peaceful space.

Italy's Castel Sant'Angelo fortress, which is said to have a tunnel connecting the Vatican to the Tiber River

From here, you can also admire the romantic city of Rome with the gentle Tiber River, under many famous bridges. The Vatican at night is lit up, highlighting the beauty and sacredness of a religious center, especially a dream place to visit at least once in a lifetime for Catholics.

The Vatican Museums house unique collections of art from around the world, attracting any visitor to Rome, with an entrance fee of 15 euros.

Vatican Museums

This March, the first anniversary of the new Pope's coronation, and also the occasion of Easter, saw a significant increase in the number of pilgrims gathering at the Vatican. Pictures of the Argentine Pope as well as religious items were displayed in many spaces inside and outside the Holy See.

The square, where pilgrims gather and also serves as the invisible border between the Vatican and Italy.

The Thanh