The Vatican City, officially the smallest country in the world, is the seat of the Catholic Church located in the center of Rome. This is a place crowded with exceptional religious art and some of the most beautiful buildings you will ever see. Even though it is only 0.44 km2 big and it has a population of 618, it accumulates millions of visitors every year. According to some statistics we’ve come across, around 20,000 visitors pass through the Vatican every day, and many more people visit St. Peter’s Square.
This is a very impressive number if you take into consideration how small this country is. We know this is the center of the Catholic world, but still, it is impressive to see those numbers. The Vatican was previously known as the Papal States, officially known as the State of the Church. Even though the country was disallowed during the Napoleonic wars, it was re-established as a country during the late 1920s. However, it was limited only to one part of Rome. Until today, it remains Pope’s country. Even though it is small, it is widely regarded as one of the most powerful countries in the world.
Anyway, we are not here for that today. It is surprising that so many couples are choosing the Vatican City for their anniversary trip. It is one of the most popular destinations even for people who are not religious because it is rich with culture. If you are a religious person, maybe it would be both cool and useful to spend your anniversary trip in the heart of Catholicism. Naturally, the anniversary is not an anniversary without some gift that you are going to give to your special one. If you would like to take a look at some of them, you can check out goldenweddinganniversarygifts.com. Well, let us present you with several reasons why you should visit the Vatican City on your anniversary trip.
Religion
Naturally, religion is the core of the Vatican City. This country serves as the heart of the Catholic church and the place of pilgrimage for a huge number of Catholics and other Christians from all over the world. Every Wednesday, you can witness the Pope’s general audience to believers, or you can attend the Sunday weekly blessing. Saint Peter’s Square, which has 284 columns and 88 pillars is a symbol of a gathering of Christianity and has a pivotal role in the history of religion.
If you are interested in celebrating or cementing your faith, you can take a Vatican tour, which is a really great way to do just that. In the process, you will learn many interesting things about Catholicism and the faith itself. This is going to be interesting even if faith is not a big part of your life, you can be sure of that.
Architecture and Art
While Vatican City is mainly the place of religion, you can find some other interesting elements. When we say this, we mean architecture and art, which is closely tied with religion. If you enlist for a Vatican tour, you are going to be able to experience so much of the religious art and architecture. Naturally, the best of the best is the Sistine Chapel, which is probably one of the best-known artworks in the world. Its ceiling was done by Michelangelo, a famous artist that lived in the 16th century.
Furthermore, you can visit “Saint Jerome in the Wilderness”, which still remains unfinished, and “The Entombment of Christ”. If you are a person that loves art and architecture, you can be sure that Vatican City has some breathtaking things to show you. Probably the most popular of them all is Saint Peter’s Basilica, that took more than 120 years to be finished. Today, it is one of the largest churches in the world.
History
Persons who are in love with history will have many places to see and enjoy. There are some unique museums that you are not going to see anywhere in the world. The place itself had the name Vatican even before Christianity. The Romans named this place and they considered it to be sacred and special. Here, you can find a lot of ancient history to think about. You can learn about the abolishing of the Papal States during the Napoleonic wars, the reestablishing of the country back in 1929, and the Vatican’s involvement in WWII. You can see that Vatican City can be appreciated on many more levels than just a religious one. This is definitely the reason you should visit it, even though you are not a religious person, and a reason more to visit it with your partner.
Quiet Country
Maybe it sounds strange due to millions of people visiting it every year, but this part of Rome is a place where you can find some peace and quiet if you need it. If you spend too much time surrounded by a crowd on your workplace, bars, restaurants, buses, you might want to enjoy some peace and quiet. If that’s the case, the Vatican City is the place to go. Huge gardens represent almost half of the entire city. In these gardens, you can find countless cactus gardens, fountains, incredible landscapes, and one of the most impressive views from the Saint Peter’s Dome. You can even see a replica of Lourdes Grotto, which is located in France.
Learning
If you can call yourself a book worm and you love to learn, then visiting the Vatican museum is the place to be. This museum has more than 1400 rooms where you can find artwork and artifacts that are over 3000 years old. Gallery of the Maps is a part of the museum that you must visit. This consists of more than 40 stunning and beautiful maps that are lining the walls. You can enjoy art created by some of the best-known artists like Raphael and Giotto. Moreover, you can visit the Egyptian Museum where you can see some of the most incredible antiques, which are unique, and there are not many places in the world where you can see these. The Vatican City is a fantastic place where you can learn some new incredible things that you haven’t even heard about.
