Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica Visit If you are heading to the Vatican City this year, you might consider hopping on a guided tour.  Of course, visitors are not required to be...

  2008 Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Protocol: Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Hours: 8:30 AM-4:00 PM (Mon-Sat) with the last exit at 6 PM.  The public may enter at any time between these...

This grand and magnificent square has retained its classical beauty and serves as the place from which the masses receive the Pope's weekly blessing.

The most beautiful work inside St. Peter's Cathedral is Michelangelo's famous La Pietà, considered by many to be the most moving piece of sculpture ever created.

Beneath the main floor of St. Peter's Basilica are the tombs of several popes and saints.

When Pius XII ordered a thorough excavation of the area under the High Altar in St. Peter's Basilica, twisting stone passages were found leading to an ancient Roman necropolis, which contained chambers 10- to 15-feet wide with preserved frescoes and mosaics.

This masterpiece shows St. Peter sitting bearded and dressed as a philosopher, with his left hand carrying keys, the right hand being raised in blessing.

In St. Peter's Chapel of the Sacrament is where Bernini's monument to Alexander VII is located.

The former papal stables at the Quirinale is now a redesigned 18th-century building, which houses contemporary-style art exhibitions such as French Impressionist paintings, Botticelli artwork and photographs by Sebastiao Salgado.

The Porta Santa, or Holy Door, was only opened by the Pope for Holy Year celebrations and closed at the end of 2000, and will remain sealed until 2025.