The Cathedral of St. Peter in the Vatican

The Cathedral of St. Peter in the Vatican - the most magnificent Church in all of Christendom. It is the key to the Vatican's secret, which was laid down in the Commission given by Jesus to Peter to govern his Church when he entrusted him the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the inscription on the cornice of the dome drum of the Cathedral: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.” Only St. Peter can be proud of the fact that he embodies the words of Christ. The Vatican (Latin name Status Civitatis Vaticanæ, Italian Stato della Citta del Vaticano) is an independent state. The sources also found the name of the State of Vatican city. This is the smallest officially recognized state in the world. In international law, the Vatican has the status of auxiliary sovereign territory of the Holy see and the residence of the Supreme spiritual leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

Many by mistake believe the Vatican is a kind of building. However, this is incorrect. The Vatican is a separate territory on which the Cathedral of St. Peter, the great Central square of St. Peter, Sistine chapel, papal gardens and the complex of buildings, consisting of museums, palaces, houses, office and commercial buildings. In addition to the territory of the state of Vatican city has a heliport, own the Vatican or as it is called the papal post office, several gas stations, the oldest pharmacy, fire station, library, supermarket and even the shortest railway in the world.

All this is enclosed Valikoski wall. On the external side wall is more like a residential building, maybe, because houses stand close to the wall, and maybe because the wall is the house. The total length of the wall and accordingly the state border of the Vatican is only 3.2 kilometres. Imagine what a small country!

Geographically the state is located in Rome, therefore, is like a state within a state, a city within a city. Located on the Vatican hill in the northwestern part of Rome, several hundred metres from the Tiber river. To visit the Vatican there is no need to obtain any special visas or permits. If you are in Rome, you can visit the Vatican. Of course, in gardens and in the territory of the papal possessions you will not miss, but to go to St. Peter's Cathedral or stroll through the largest Museum complex in the world, formed by the palaces of the Vatican is quite real.

Residents of Vatican city are the Vatican and the corresponding citizenship. Correct to say, they have dual citizenship - of the Vatican and its where they come from. To the Vatican citizenship is quite difficult, even the common man it is impossible, as citizenship of the Vatican receive only the higher ranks of the Catholic Church from the entourage of the Pope. Even the official residents of the Vatican, not all have citizenship.

The main Cathedral of the Vatican stands majestically over the state. It can be seen from many points in Rome.According to Providence, the Apostle Peter came to Rome in 43 year to become the head of the Christian community. He was in Rome for 25 years. During the persecution of Christians between 64 and 67 years, he suffered martyrdom in Nero's circus on the slope of Vatican hill and was buried in the cemetery near the circus adjacent to the road. The tomb of St. Peter is the fulcrum of the Vatican, the only reason and the essence of all his buildings. If it wasn't for the graves of the former Galilean fisherman, the witness of the resurrection of Christ, who was sure that too will be crucified, you would not have been in this place a magnificent temple and would not exist now a great city-state of Vatican city.

The tomb of St. Peter became a cult venue: about 160 years there was built the first protective wall and a small marble monument. 322 year, ten years after the recognition of religious freedom of Christians, Emperor Constantine ordered to build the first Basilica. It was in essence a temple-mausoleum of the Apostle. In the sixth century Gregory the Great was built the throne for the conduct of the Mass. In 1120 Pope Callistus II built an altar on this throne, named Denomination.

In 1452, the original Cathedral was decided to be reconstructed, but only in 1506 began the serious work. The construction of the temple lasted for almost a hundred years, from 1506 to 1616 year, 18 popes, from Julius II to Paul V, write his name on the facade. Many important works have encouraged Pope urban VIII and Alexander VII. Difficult and the fate of the project implemented and modified 12 great architects. The most famous of them Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta, Domenico Fontana and Carlo Moderno. The new Cathedral of St. Peter was consecrated by Pope urban VIII on 18 November 1626.

The Cathedral is more than 44.000 square meters, its length is about 187 m, width of 114.5 m., almost like a football field and a height of 46 meters. About the vastness of the temple speak volumes of notes on the marble floor in the Central nave. Here are the dimensions of the other large Christian churches that are inferior to him in size. The decoration of the Cathedral is staggering abundance of gold, mosaics, majestic statues of the saints, tombstones dads, and most importantly, amazing creations by Bernini and the young Michelangelo.

St. Peter's Square

Arriving at the Vatican first, where do you get this in St. Peter's Square, also called Piazza San Pietro (the Italian name Piazza San Pietro). The area is the largest and most Central square of the Vatican, and Rome.

This area is of great proportions in the form of two symmetrical semicircles. Along the perimeter on two sides the square is framed by a semicircular colonnade of the Tuscan order, was designed by Giovanni Bernini.