Saint Peter’s Square
The main entrance to the Basilica is through St. Peter’s Square. However, our tour began in the museum, proceeded through the Sistine Chapel, then down through the Basilica, and finally out into the square.
The Vatican is called a City State. The Trivia game calls it the smallest country in the world. It does not have its own army to defend all of its treasure, but is guarded by the Swiss Army Guard.
Here is a map of the Vatican City State within the City of Rome. At the top center is the Musei Vaticani (museum). These buildings lead straight down to the Cappella Sistina (Sistine Chapel). Then through the basilica and out into the Piazza San Piedro square.
Here is how it looks from Google’s satellite.
There are two colonnades and two fountains, one on each side. So many people want to mail a post card to get a Vatican post mark on it that the post office has set up a trailer to process all of the outgoing tourist mail. Many people are mailing the post cards to themselves back home. Watch for it in one of the next two photos.
And one obelisk in the center.
Looking back as we leave the square to find our bus.
– Where do you want to go today? –
Hi, Doug. Lots of wonderful architecture. You’re collecting lots of memories. Those guards uniforms… uncomfortable?
I did catch the postal trailer. I guess it’s something that interests people – it’s another collected memory.
Thanks for sharing your adventures.
You are making me want to go back and read visited this beautiful place Doug! We only had 7 days to tour 3 cities but I want to go back now that I know what areas to spend more time in. I love how the Swiss guards are like statues.
Beautiful pictures and you have me wishing I could visit there with my family. I love the ideal of mailing a postcard to ourselves as it would have the date you took a trip and a great reminder for my son when he is older. So I am going to borrow this ideal from you. Have a Blessed day.
Sometimes the best pictures are the ones on the postcards.