It's the World's Smallest Country but Has a Lot to Offer in Terms of Tourism!

Even though the Vatican city is the smallest country in the world, it is a collection of cult art and architecture. This interesting city is located in southern Europe of Italy. With a little more than 1,000 inhabitants, the population lives comfortably, but what's interesting is that no one was born here. Vatican citizenship is not based on birth, but it's only given to people who live in the Vatican for their work or services. More than 450 have Vatican citizenship, including 135 guards, with 5% of the population being women. Cardinals who live in the Vatican or in the Holy Place are considered seats of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy. The Vatican is an independent country.

As an independent country, and the smallest in the world, people wonder how much they're valued for in terms of national wealth. The Vatican has major investments in banking, insurance, chemicals, steel, construction, and real estate. Financial experts believe in uncertain reasons that the Vatican's wealth is between $10 and $15 billion. Of this payment, only Italian equity reached $1.6 billion, and 15% of the value of shares are traded on the Italian market.

In addition to all these statistics, the Vatican City has beautiful views and is one of the most visited and richest in the arts and culture. And one of these landmarks is St. Peter's Basilica. St. Peter's Basilica is a Renaissance church in the Vatican, the papal enclave in Rome. With its meeting point in Germanico in Rome, the capital of Italy, it is considered one of the holiest Catholic shrines. The Basilica is described as unique in the Christian world, and is recognized as the largest of all Christian churches.

Around the site of St. Peter's Basilica, there are various buildings and structures that are interconnected. They include the Christian Church, Papacy, Protestant Reformation, and the Counter Reformation Catholic. According to Catholic tradition, the Basilica is the tomb of St. Peter, the leader of the apostles of Jesus and also the first bishop of Rome (Pope). St. Peter's tomb is said to lie just below the high altar of the Basilica. For this reason, many popes have been interred at the church since early Christian times, and the time of the Roman emperor or Constantine the Great.

Designed and completed by Donato Bramante, who was expertly supported by three creative masters of Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1506, this beautiful building has a large Greek cross shape with a dome reminiscent of the large Roman temple, the Pantheon. This architectural structure rests on four large pillars. The St. Peter's Basilica was declared holy in November 1626, at a length of 220 meters, height of 150 meters, and is named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. St. Peter's Basilica's monument accommodates more than 30,000 visitors every day. The number continues to increase over the months and during the annual liturgy, the Pope draws an audience of about 15,000 to more than 80,000 people, either in the Basilica or in the adjacent St. Peter's Square.

The building houses almost 1,600 galleries in the Vatican Museum, which hosts works from all over the world and from all historical periods: from Rome to the Etruscan and from Egypt to Kuwait. Here you will find information about the history of papal graves that have been there for centuries. There are so many things to see and this tour will allow you to discover the interesting history of the Vatican and its artworks.

Note This Down Before Visiting

You rarely see visitors in a wheelchair here at the Basilica, given the number of people gathered. Strangely, I just wanted to find out the reason. They may be disabled, but have the freedom to enjoy life as long as they live. The answer for me was: They are being protected from harm and harassment from the crowd, which makes sense. Maybe authorities also need to have other means available for the disabled. Apart from the above, anyone can visit, with a certain dress code. All visitors are advised not be in shorts or a sleeveless top, but in an official or decent attire. Knee and shoulders must not be shown by both men and women during visits. You could risk being refused entry if you fail to comply with this dress code. However, students who visit receive an entrance discount depending on the number.

Visitors are safe in terms of security because measures are very strict. In addition, expert guides, who are always available, are officially recognized by authorities and have so many years of experience. Their extreme passion for their work makes it more fun and enjoyable to visit these artistic heritage sites.

Come and experience the building of the largest Christian church in the world based on the last two indicators and the second largest based on the first indicator in 2016. It is interesting that the St. Peter's Basilica is the largest building known from Renaissance architecture.

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