The Vatican as we know it today began around 324 AD by Emperor Constantine when he ordered the first church to be built. The walls surrounding Vatican City were not built until 847 and were completed in 855 under Leo IV in memory of St. Peter. Today, Vatican City is the smallest full independent nation state in all of the world as well as being the administration center of the Roman Catholic Church and the residence of the Pope.
Within the walls of the Vatican, you will find the Vatican Gardens, the Vatican Museums, St. Peters Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. All dating back centuries with a history of their own to tell. As you begin your Vatican tour, you will enter through the Medieval and Renaissance Walls into Saint Peters Square. All around you will find a wealth of beauty and history that has been protected and preserved for all to enjoy today.
The Vatican Museums are home to world-renowned artwork known as the worlds largest art collection divided into sections. Through each one of the sections, you will be able to browse and learn of the various time periods of Rome and the importance of the Vatican. The sections you can explore include the including Gregorian Egyptian Museum, Gregorian Etruscan Museum, Greek and Roman Antiquities, Pio Christian Museum, Pinacoteca, Missionary-Ethnological Museum, Gregorian Profane Museum, and the Vatican Historical Museum. Throughout the various sections of the Vatican Museums and other areas around the Vatican, you will be introduced to such amazing masterpieces including the Room on the Immaculate Conception, the Sistine Chapel, Belvedere Palace, the four rooms painted by Raphael, and the Apartment of St. Pius V.
With a private tour of the Vatican, you will be able to see all of these unique and amazing masterpieces as well as learn more about the artisans and the history of each item.