VATICAN: the HOLY SEE

Vatican is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. At approximately 44 hectares (110 acres), and with a population of around 800, it is the smallest independent state in the world by both population and area.

Last December 2007,i visited this place for the first time and i want to share some of the pictures that i took at St. Peter's Basilica....

St. Peter's Basilica (Italian San Pietro in Vaticano) is a major basilica in Vatican City, an enclave of Rome. St. Peter's was until recently the largest church ever built (it covers an area of 23,000 m² and has a capacity of over 60,000), and it remains one of the holiest sites in Christendom.
Ancient tradition has it that St. Peter's Basilica was built at the place where Peter, the apostle who is considered the first pope, was crucified and buried; his tomb is under the main altar. Other popes are also buried in and below the basilica. Contrary to what one might reasonably assume, St. Peter's is not a cathedral - the pope's cathedral is St. John Lateran.