Vatican City

The city was created in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty and is solely governed by the Pope. Vatican City is located on the Vatican hill, on the right bank of the Tiber River, within the city of Rome. The city is known as one of the European micro states, and is the smallest sovereign state in the world, with a surface of 0.44 square kilometers.

The 558 citizens live inside the walls and are part of the city's diplomatic corps. Vatican City has a great cultural significance, especially for Catholics. St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel house some of the most famous art works in the world by Botticelli, Bernini and Michelangelo. The basilica has a double colonnade and a circular piazza in front, with palaces and gardens as its borders.

Vatican Library and the collections of the Vatican Museums are also part of the world's historical and cultural inheritance. Most famous monument within this small city state is of course the San Pietro Basilica. The Sistine Chapel is one of the oldest building in the city and dates from the 15th century.