G06 Language Arts: The Magnificent Vatican (July 1, 2025)

 The Magnificent Vatican

 

            The Vatican City is a city-state on the Italian peninsula. It is the smallest country in the world, yet it is beautiful. The Vatican has magnificent chapels and basilicas full of amazing art and architecture. 

 

            To appreciate the Vatican, one must understand the history behind it. St. Peter, the first Pope, is believed to have lived and died in Rome. With the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. liberating Christians and the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 A.D. making Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire, Rome became a major center for Christianity. With the Donation of Pippin in 754, the Frankish kingdom gave the Pope control over central Italy. This entity was known as the Papal States, centered around Vatican Hill.

 

The Papal States fell during the Italian unification in 1870. However, in 1922, the Pope regained control over Vatican Hill, and the Vatican City exists as a country until today. 

 

            The first architectural marvel one will see is St. Peter’s Square, which was completed in 1667. In the center of the square lies an obelisk with a cross at the top. At the Square, one will see 140 statues of saints. 

 

Another architectural marvel is St. Peter’s Basilica. Its construction lasted from 1506 to 1615. Its architecture implements Renaissance and Baroque elements. Inside the basilica, there are magnificent paintings, and there is a beautiful dome. The pillars have carvings of text and sculptures of angels. Every single part of the basilica is artistically wonderful. 

 

            Even more artistically wonderful is the Sistine Chapel. It was constructed from 1473 to 1481, but its profound artistic beauty comes from the 16^th-century ceiling paintings of Michelangelo. The paintings include scenes from the Bible, such as The Creation of Adam  and The Last Judgement. Raphael also designed tapestries with scenes from the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. While not as architecturally grand as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel is even more beautiful in its art. 

 

All these marvels make the Vatican truly beautiful. From classical grandeur to architectural marvels and artistic masterpieces, the Vatican is indeed magnificent. 

 

 

Works Cited

 

Zander, Pietro. “The Square.” Basilica di San Pietro. https://www.basilicasanpietro.va/en/san-pietro/the-square. Accessed 24 June 2025. 

 

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Vatican City". Encyclopædia Britannica, 23 Jun. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/place/Vatican-City. Accessed 24 June 2025.

 

The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Sistine Chapel". Encyclopædia Britannica, 15 Jun. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sistine-Chapel. Accessed 24 June 2025.

 

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "St. Peter’s Basilica". Encyclopædia Britannica, 2 Jun. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Peters-Basilica. Accessed 24 June 2025.

 

“Christianity in the Roman Empire (Article) | Khan Academy.” Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/ancient-medieval/christianity/a/roman-culture.

 

Mancebo, Ivanka Garcia. St. Peter’s Square - Vatican City. www.rome.net/st-peters-square.