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As seen from the Borghese Gardens, the grandeur of the dome the crowns St. Peter's Basilica identifies the sovereign state of Vatican City, created by the Lateran Treaty of 1929. It covers more than 100 acres, including vast St. Peter's Square, with its quadruple colonnades by Bernini; the Vatican Gardens and Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, with its immortal frescoes by Michelangelo; and the Vatican Palace, from which the pope blesses thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square when he is in residence. The Vatican City is the smallest independent state in Europe, located in Rome, Italy, with a population of under 1,000. The Vatican City includes the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, Vatican gardens, St. Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square. The Vatican is located on the west bank of river Tevere and separated from the rest of Rome with a wall.
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Western Europe
