ON LINE TOURS ENGLISH-guided tour in Rome and Vatican Ostia and Tivoli
There has been a church here since the fourth century and it is commonly believed that St Peters the Apostle is buried beneath the high altar, making this one of the holiest Catholic sites in the world. The artists Michelangelo and Bernini were both involved in designing the present cathedral (Basilica), wish dates back to 1506 A.D.
Vatican City is an independent city-state, ruled by the Pope and home to some of the most famous works of art in the world. The Sistine Chapel is renowned for its magnificent frescoes by Renaissance genius Michelangelo as well as other frescoes by Botticelli, Perugino, and Raphael and many others.
During the Middle Ages, the Church established its temporal rule and Rome remained the seat of the Papal Court until September 20 1870, when the Eternal City became the capital of the Republic of Italy.
"The Vatican" is the Holy See, the central authority of the Roman Catholic Church.