A public square (also commonly referred to as a town square, plaza, or piazza) is an open public space which is commonly found in the heart … More
Tag: vatican
120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part IV (61-80) – Site Types
The complete World Heritage List comprises 1153 properties of “outstanding universal value”. Of these, about 23% are represented by natural … More
120 Favorite UNESCO Sites, Part III (41-60) – In Danger
Armed conflict, war, natural disasters (such as earthquakes), pollution, poaching, uncontrolled urbanization, and unchecked tourist development all pose major problems … More
Castel Gandolfo, Part 2: Apostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo is a 135-acre complex of buildings located in a garden setting overlooking Lake Albano in … More
St. Peter’s Square
St. Peter’s Square, located directly in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini from 1656 to 1667, … More
The Best of the VATICAN
Vatican City is the Holy See’s independent city-state located completely within Rome, Italy. Also known simply as The Vatican, it became fully independent from Italy with the signing of … More
Vatican Grottoes
Around 100 papal tombs are currently extant, representing less than half of the 264 deceased popes, going all the way back to … More
Other Recommended ART MUSEUMS
Here is a list of a few dozen more art museums around the world that I would recommend with an … More
The Vatican Museums
Originally founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II, The Vatican Museums are made up of the public art and sculpture museums … More
Archbasilica of St. John Lateran
Saint John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome, which serves as the seat of the Pope (aka the “Bishop … More
Top 50 Posts
In commemoration of my 50th Birthday, I thought I’d post the site’s “Top 50 Posts” to date, each of which … More
Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua
The Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua is a Roman Catholic church in northern Italy, located just south of Venice. It is visited as a … More
Raphael Rooms
Inside the public area of the papal apartments at the Vatican, the four so-called Raphael Rooms form a suite of reception rooms. They … More
The Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel, located in the Apostolic Palace (or the Pope’s official residence in Vatican City), originally known as the Cappella … More
The Vatican Flag
The flag of Vatican City was adopted in 1929, the year Pope Pius XI signed the … More
Castel Gandolfo, Part 1: Barberini Gardens
As of March 1, 2014 Pope Francis characteristically opened the doors of the Papal Palace to paid visitors on guided … More
Traces of Places 