To some, it may seem that a small city would not have very much to say for itself. However, the Vatican City, the smallest independent state in the world, is full of history, art, and awe-inspiring architecture. More importantly, it is the center of the Roman Catholic Church. And although Vatican City was only founded in 1929, it is home to one of the world’s greatest collections of art, history, architecture, and faith.
The Vatican City State was founded on February 11, 1929. While the current city is not very old, its origins go back centuries. During the middle ages, the popes gained control over a large area of central Italy known as the Papal States. In 1870, Pope Pius IX lost power over the Papal States. The popes retreated back to what was at that time the Vatican, and refused to deal with Italy’s government. On February 11, 1929, the Treaty of the Lateran resolved the status of the Vatican City. Through this treaty, the pope gave up all claims to the Papal States, and Italy recognized the independence of the Vatican City (The World Book Encyclopedia of People and Places 1420).
The Vatican City has buildings and museums that are not only a great sight to see, but contain much history as well. One of the first buildings that was ever built in Vatican City was the Basilica of Emperor Constantine, which was constructed in the A.D. 300’s (construction started somewhere between 319 and 322 A.D., and ended in 349 A.D.). This church was built on Vatican Hill in the same location as a shrine which marked the most likely location of St. Peter’s tomb. By the middle of the 15th century, however, the basilica was falling apart. Pope Nicholas V ordered the restoration and enlargement of it, which would last for more th...
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...rism of the many shrines, buildings, and museums in the city. It also receives contributions from churches around the world. The trade in Vatican City is mainly based around religious goods. Its culture is much like that of the rest of Italy. The major languages spoken in the Vatican City are Latin and, of course, Italian. The food is just like other Italian food, and like other Italians, Vatican City residents consider their food to be the best in the world (Frank A. Salamone). The religion of the Vatican City is, of course, Roman Catholic.
The Vatican City is a great attraction for many people around the world, as it contains lots of history, art, architecture, and faith. It also is the center of the Roman Catholic Church. With attractions such as St. Peter’s Basilica and The Apollo of Belvedere, the Vatican City would definitely be a great place to visit.
Christ was crucified at but it is also believed that it was where he was buried and then resurrected. Because of this belief, the church has become the foremost pilgrimage site for the Christian religion. The church that stands today is a reconstruction of the original church because the church was damaged throughout the years by fire, invasion, and earthquakes. The original church was rebuilt during the middle ages when an agreement was reached between the Fatimids and the Byzantine Empire. The tomb itself is empty of course but millions come to the church to pay their respects to the religious figurehead.
Constantine chose an unusual and controversial location for his church. It was built on Vatican Hill over a pagan Cemetery. This was highly controversial because the defacement of a grave was a serious criminal offense in rome, often carrying death as the punishment. But Constantine was Emper...
The Hagia Sophia was constructed first and it was meant as the main church of the Byzantine Empire. It is said that they built the Hagia Sophia in only 5 years, while it took nearly a century for the Notre Dame cathedral to be completed. While it did have what some would consider an extremely short construction time, they did have many issues with the dome. It nearly collapsed more than a few times. Once the builders and architects figured a plan to keep it stable, one on looker said, ”it is as if the Dome is suspended from Heaven itself”. The Dome of the rock was constructed for Christians, Jews, and Muslims but was to attract new followers to Malik’s Islamic brotherhood. The project for the construction had many issues, not only with the Dome itself, but also with revolts that would postpone construction for years. Once completed, many followers believed that Jerusalem was the third holiest place in the world due to Muhammed’s journey to Heaven in order to talk to God. The art within the Hagia Sophia was beautiful Mosaics and paintings of the Virgin Mary with Jesus. These were meant to represent how holy the building was. When the Muslims claimed the Hagia Sophia they did not want to destroy it due to beliefs so they renovated the building. They did this by breaking down images of humans and animals due to their belief that no images of figures
The Holy Sepulchre is a church. It is also called the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of the Resurrection. This site is located in Christian quarter in the old wall city of Jerusalem. In early 2nd century the site was formerly a pagan temple. The first Christian emperor, Constantine ordered that the temple to be demolished around 325/356 and had it replaced by a Christian church. He ordered Macarius of Jerusalem, the local Bishop, to build a church on the site of the previous pagan temple. Many reports in 333 say,"There, at present, by the command of the Emperor Constantine, has been built a basilica, that is to say, a church of wondrous beauty". The church was built by connecting three churches, the Martyrium, Triportico, and the Anastasis. The old church of Anastasis is said to contain evidence of burial site of Jesus Christ. As legend says it Constantine ordered for the rock face from the alleged burial site to be removed from the rock cut room in order to isolate it.
The role of the city is to be the center of economic, political, and cultural movement. Cities have a dense population compared to the area, so careful planning must go into its development. In the U.S. alone, 55% of the population lives in cities with more than 1,000,000 people, 78% in cities with more than 100,000, and less that 3% live in agricultural areas (Angotti, Tomas. 1993). Since it is so crucial for a city with countless numbers of inhabitants to work properly, there has to be certain building types to facilitate the lives of the people. One of the most important building types is the temple. Temples through out time usually work very similarly urbanistically in the sense that they are centers of religious practice and located in key areas. A temple is a symbol of the culture; it represents the people’s beliefs and how devoted they are to them. Temples have usually been elaborate and large scale; examples of this include the Temple of Kukulkán in Chichén Itzá, Mexico, and the Mother Church in Boston, Massachusetts. The Temple of Kukulkán and the Mother Church in Boston are strikingly similar in many ways, including architecturally and how they are used by the people of the city.
The Basilica of St. Denis contributed to the rise of the Catholic Church, for it provided a physical representation of the “Holy Jerusalem”, for many people to see. By viewing this representation of heaven, many people reestablished their faith into the church and longed for salvation, so that they can be accepted into the “spiritual heaven” after their death. This desperate attempt to gain salvation caused individuals to devote themselves to the church, which brought the Catholic Church leverage, power, and wealth.
This inscription is not only important because it gives the founder's name and build date of the church, but also because it conveys the doctrine of papal superiority, which was still evolving at that
“From the Greeks they borrowed literacy and religion as well as the fundamentals of architecture. The Etruscans, to the north, provided a model for trade and urban luxury.” - Joshua J. Mark. When we think of Rome, our minds go to gladiators and the Colosseum, but Rome was much more than that. The Romans were one of the greatest societies of their time. Compared to other societies, the Romans were very popular with the people. So that being said, Rome was definitely the best place to live in during the ancient times because they were advanced, they were dominant, and they had a government that worked for everybody. They would make sure that the citizens were living a happy life.They also created many advancements
St Peter’s basilica which is built based on rational form of architecture is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican City, designed by Donato Bramante. Its significant history is that according to the Catholic tradition this was the place that Saint Peter was buried. Not so far away...
For starters, Italy, and more specifically Rome, is famed for its rich abundance of art, architecture and for being the epicenter of the Catholic religion. The Vatican, “a city state surrounded by Rome”, houses the Sistine Chapel (Zapella). The same chapel where Michelangelo laid on his back upon a scaffolding and tediously painted a variety of scenes from the Old Testament. For four long years, Michelangelo slaved away at the frescoes, and proved how vital determination, hard-work, and most importantly a steady hand were to executing his biblical beauties
Venice, Italy home to some of the most famous painters in the world. In the middle ages Venice became one of the few cities to participate in international commerce, controlling the vast sea-empire. Venice, Italy is widely known for its jaw-dropping scenic views. Along with ensuring a strong cultural atmosphere in all of Venice is extremely important because not only does it have a heart for culture in itself and the history, but adding to those who come and go as well.
The Italian origin comes from Latin and roots of many words are recognizable. There are many other spoken languages, the most popular of which include German, French, and Latin in some northern regions. There are several other less popular languages, many of which are spoken only in very small populations. More than 98% of the population can read and write, making the country highly literate. The Italian language is considered very beautiful and is often used in opera by composers around the world. It should be noted that English is not often spoken and the most reliable and well known language is
Interesting history, variety of foods to eat, and the spirit of celebrations are among the reason why I think Mexico City is a beautiful place, and a place I recommend you should visit.
the power of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy or to work with it. He
In the words of Giuseppe Verdi, “You may have the universe if I may have Italy” (Brainyquote.com). Italy is one of the top hotspots for vacation, and there is a plethora of reasons why. Immediately upon arriving, you can smell the aroma of fresh, home-made foods. The beauty of the architecture in even the average buildings is overwhelming. The culture is unique and fascinating; unlike anything you will ever see anywhere else. There are so many places you could visit in Italy, you could spend a lifetime there, and it would never be enough. Rome, Tuscany, Pompeii, Pisa, Florence, and Venice are must-sees, to name just a handful. (http://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com) Italy is in essence, a paradise unlike any other, that everyone should have the privilege of enjoying. (pathos)