The Vatican is probably the oldest living iconic repository of human history in existence.
Angel carved by Gian Lorenzo Bernini on the Saint Angel bridge
Vatican City is a city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy, and headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and Holy See. It houses some of the oldest relics of the church, an almost endless list of historical treasures, incredible ancient Roman sculptures, and is famous for its architecture, including Michelangelo’s paintings in the Sistine Chapel.
The Vatican Museums are the public museums of the Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the most well-known Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. The museums contain roughly 70,000 works, of which 20,000 are on display, and currently employ 640 people who work in 40 different administrative, scholarly, and restoration departments.
Vatican City
Area: 109 acres
Founded: February 11, 1929
Population: 1,000 (2017)
Continent: Europe