Posts from — June 2009

The Rome city center is the hub of all that is happening in this famous metropolis. One cannot visit Rome and not go to the city center. It houses the Vatican and also many hotels and restaurants that help to keep the economy going strong even in the hard financial times that the world is facing. This is one of the most visited cities in the world, and the city center is key to keeping people coming back year after year.

When standing in the Rome city center a person can feel as if they are a member of the toga wearing population that once roamed these streets. Because Rome was built on seven hills, a person can still catch a glimpse of these hills when they are in the center of the city. Another thing that a person can see that is related to the ancient people is one of the walls that once surrounded the city. Remains still exist that can help one feel as if they are an ancient Roman in the largest empire of the world.

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Visiting the seat of the Roman Catholic Church can prove to be an experience of a lifetime for anyone. Even if one is not a Catholic, they can still enjoy all of the many amenities that a Vatican City visit can offer. Whether it is for the history, art, or magnificent Vatican gardens, everyone can find something to be amazed at when they visit the city of St. Peter.

One of the most important things for which the Roman Catholic Church has been known for centuries is the patronage of the Popes to the art world. Thanks to the Popes of the past, common people were given the chance to view works from the masters that they might otherwise have never seen. Today, those works of art can be seen in the museums in Vatican City. Art in the smallest city state in the world is amazing and can be viewed if one takes the time when they are on their Vatican City visit. The museums have art from all parts of the world, and to miss them would be a serious shame.

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Many people try their entire lifetime to witness the Holy See and its home in Vatican City. This can prove to be a trip of a lifetime for those who are members of the Roman Catholic Church. What a person may not understand though, is that the Vatican City and the Holy See are not the same thing. These are two very different entities that are separate from each other, but also have ties to each other that go back many, many years.

The Holy See is the actual governing body of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and can actually trace its beginnings to the time of St. Peter. The See refers to the diocese of Rome. It is led by the Bishop of Rome, also known as the Pope. When the Pope sends out holy emissaries he sends them from the See and not from the Vatican City state. One interesting thing about the See is that it has been an official observer of the United Nations since 1964 but chooses not to vote in matters.

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In all of Christendom, no church can be found that even comes close to that of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. This is one of the most impressive sites that any Christian will ever see in all of their life. The Basilica has art by the likes of Michelangelo, and at one time, the Basilica itself was being designed by Michelangelo. A good Rome City tour can lead one to this impressive building, and in fact, it would be very hard to miss in this holy city.

When one enters St. Peter’s Basilica they might not notice that it is in the shape of a Latin cross, with the dome being in the center of the crossing. The alter, which is in the middle of this Catholic city church, is built directly above the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle, of whom the Bible states that Christ built his church upon. One unique feature of the dome of the Basilica is that Michelangelo nearly finished the drum before his death.

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