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The smallest sovereign state in the world (just 0.44 square kilometers), the Vatican sits atop the lower areas of the Vatican hill just a few hundred meters west of the river Tiber. Focused on the largest dome of St. Peter's Basilica and the Piazza San Pietro, which is the capital of the Catholic world, a spiritual power, whose law is the gospel of a billion Catholics worldwide. On a temporal level, is one of the most visited and is almost certain to travel to Rome will have to queue to enter St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums. Established under the terms of the Lateran Treaty 1929, the State of Vatican City is the only modern remnant of the Papal States. For over a thousand years, the Papal States in Rome and covers much of central Italy, but when Italy was unified in 1861 and Rome fell to Italian troops in 1870, Pope Pius IX was forced to give up the last of its territorial possessions. Relations between Italy and the papacy landless remain tense until Mussolini and Pope Pius XI agreed to form the State of the Vatican in 1929. Under the terms of the Lateran Treaty, the Holy See was also given extraterritorial authority over 28 other sites in and around Rome, including the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore and San Paolo fuori le Mura, the catacombs , and the Pope's summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. As an independent state, the Vatican has its own postal service, currency, newspapers, radio and the army. Extravagantly dressed Swiss Guards was founded in 1506 by Julius II to defend the Papal States against invading armies and still responsible for the Pope's personal security. The present appearance of the Vatican is the culmination of more than 1000 years of chopping and mincing. The Leonine walls date to 846, when Pope Leo IV had after a series of raids by the Saracens, while the Vatican palace, now home to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, was built originally by Pope Eugene III in the 12th century. Subsequent popes have been widespread changes, fortifications and decorations according to their political and artistic whim. The quarter-century original basilica of St. Peter was almost entirely rebuilt in the 16th century by a phalanx of the great Renaissance - Bramante, Raphael, Antonio da Sangallo and Michelangelo. Later, Giacomo della Porta and Carlo Maderno added new contributions. Outside the St. Peter's Square was designed by the Baroque genius Gian Lorenzo Bernini. In asking to visit in Rome Vatican City is a good alternative, the easiest way to get to the Vatican, is to take the metro line A to Ottaviano-San Pietro. Otherwise buses 40 and 64 run at the Vatican from the Stazione Termini. Welcome to Travelling2peru.com (Leaders in Peruvian tourism, Machu Picchu and Cusco Tours) International posts, dedicated to all travellers who wish to travel around the world. For more information Visit Peru Packages
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