The moon climbs slowly past the Michelangelo-designed dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The world's smallest independent nation is the spiritual center for the world's one billion Catholics. From this state within the city of Rome, the Pope ministers to a flock of more than a billion Roman Catholics. The Lateran Treaty between Italy and the Holy See created an independent Vatican City in 1929. The Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with more than 150 countries; issues passports, coins, and stamps; has a radio station and a publishing house; and billets a force of Swiss Guards. John Paul II, the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years, was elected in 1978. Pope Benedict XVI was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican City in 2005 after Pope John Paul II's death. Vatican City state in the world in terms of inhabitants and size. It occupies an area of 44 hectares. The borders are represented by its walls and the travertine pavement curve that joins the two wings of the colonnades in St Peter’s Square. Beyond the territory of the State, Vatican jurisdiction also covers some extraterritorial areas within and outside Rome.
There are 491 steps leading up to the dome at the top of the basilica; you can save steps by taking the elevator to the top of the roof. The rooftop itself is a great destination; you can see the statues of the disciples up-close, take amazing photos of Rome, and there’s even a gift shop and post office where you can mail postcards with a Vatican City postmark. If you make it to the top of the dome, you will have a fantastic view of both the inside of the church and a view of the Vatican Gardens and Rome outside. The walk up, while exerting, is worth the great views, although if you aren’t in top shape you may have to stop and rest along the way.
St. Peter’s Square is in front of the basilica and is laid out in an oval shape. Designed by the artist Bernini, the plaza features two colonnades in a semicircle arrangement, each containing four rows of Doric-style columns. There is an Egyptian obelisk in the center of the plaza and also two fountains. A favorite activity of tourists is to stand on one of the circles between the fountains and the obelisk and look down the columns; they line up perfectly so the rows behind can’t be seen.
The Swiss guards were first hired by Pope Julius II in 1506, and the Vatican and the pope have been protected ever since by them; they stand near the entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica. The guards wear very distinctive uniforms, consisting of blue and yellow striped pantaloons and jacket with red accents and a beret, and they hold a halberd, a long lance with an axe on one end. The guards, which number 100 in all, are all Roman Catholic Swiss men, and they swear allegiance to the pope. Although their uniforms appear to be ceremonial, the guards serve a real purpose today against anyone who would harm the pope, and they receive modern military training.
The Vatican Museums are near the basilica and contain priceless works of art from ancient to modern times. There are many different galleries; seeing all of them is definitely not possible in one day, so doing a little research before visiting and deciding what you really want to see is the best plan. There are countless pieces of art, including statues, busts, Renaissance paintings, tapestries, early icons, Egyptian artifacts, etc., and there is so much art in this museum that the visitor is totally overwhelmed. Two of the most well-known exhibits in the Vatican Museums are the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael rooms, and you will see many works that were in your history and art books in school. The double-helix spiral staircase at the entrance/exit to the museum is a work of art in itself. Purchasing the audio tour is a good idea, as it will tell you all about the works in the museum.
Although the Sistine Chapel is always very crowded, it is a must-see for any visitor to the Vatican Museums. The magnificent frescoed ceiling of the chapel painted by Michelangelo depicts over 300 figures from the Book of Genesis, the most well-known being "The Creation of Adam," showing God touching the finger of Adam. "The Last Judgment" on the west wall depicts a scene from the Book of Revelations. The chapel’s frescoes have been restored to remove the centuries of grime; work began in 1979 and took twenty years to complete, but the colors are much more vibrant now than before the restoration.
This courtyard off the Vatican Museum, designed by Bramante, contains some very interesting pieces of sculpture and a lovely green lawn. There’s a huge pinecone, which was once part of a fountain, and a giant head of Octavia. In the center of the courtyard is an enormous modern spherical sculpture by Pomodoro that is quite unusual. This is a good place to take photographs, especially group ones.
The castle, originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, was used as a safe place for the popes, and there was a secret passage connecting it to the Vatican. A bridge, the Ponte Angelo, spans the Tiber River and connects the castle to Vatican City from Rome. The castle was also used as a prison and a fortress, and it is now a national museum. Dan Brown, author of the best-selling book "The DaVinci Code," has recently revived interest in the circular castle by featuring it in his book "Angels and Demons." 
