Map of Vatican City

Below you will find an interactive Map of Vatican City.
(For a list of hotels near the Vatican visit our Vatican Rome Hotels map)

Click on the flags for information about the points of interest. Below the Vatican map you will find descriptions of the sites.

Description for the points of interest shown in the above Map of Vatican City (moving in a clockwise direction from the Heliport):

1. Vatican Heliport: Unfortunately plebs like me have to sit in the traffic.
2. Grotto of Lourdes: A replica of the famous grotto from the small French town at the foot of the Pyrenees. Lourdes was where the Virgin appeared to Saint Bernadette in 1858.
3. Vatican Radio Station: From a tower which forms part of the Leonine Wall (built in 847 AD) the Vatican broadcasts to the world in over 20 languages
4. The Eagle fountain: Built to celebrate the arrival of water to the Vatican from the Paola Aqueduct - the eagle represents the Borghese crest.
5. Villa of Pius: Built in the mid 16th Century as a summer house it now houses the Academy of Sciences.
6. Entrance point to the Vatican Museums: (Topmost flag on the above map of Vatican City) If you plan on visiting the Vatican museums then this is where you enter.
   If you want to visit St Peters, the Grottoes or St Peter's Dome (Cupola) then you have to go to St Peter's Square (Piazza di San Pietro).
7. The Vatican Museums: One of the most important collections of art in the world. Art by legends like Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo are bountiful.
   It is said that if you only spend a minute at each painting and do not rest it will take you 4 years to complete the tour.
8. Bramante's Spiral Ramp: Pope Julius commissioned Architect Bramante to design the staircase as an entrance to the palace. In an emergency one can ascend the staircase on horseback.
9. Cortile della Pigna: (Courtyard of the pine cone) The enormous bronze pine cone (pigna) was once part of an ancient Roman fountain and stood in the courtyard of old St Peters.
10. Vatican Apostolic Library
11. Vatican Post Office: More efficient than Italian mail. The Vatican also print their own stamps.
12. Swiss Guard Barracks: In case you were considering to enlist, to be a Swiss guard one must be: at least 1,74m (5'8.5'') in height, Male, Catholic, between the ages of 19 and 30, have completed basic training in the Swiss military, and of course, be Swiss. Jawol!
13. The Vatican Corridor: (the blue man standing on the green line in the above map of Vatican City). The Vatican Corridor was built in Medieval times as an escape route for the Pope. It connects the Vatican with Castel Sant Angelo. The corridor was used by Pope Alexander VI in 1494 when the French Army of King Charles VIII invaded Rome. And again in 1527 by Pope Clement VII when the Constable of Bourbon sacked Rome!
14. Obelisk of St Peters Square: The obelisk (the only remnant of the Circus of Nero) was originally part of Heliopolis (an ancient Egyptian city which stood in the vicinity of present day Cairo) but taken by Roman Emperor Caligula and erected close to where it stands today.
15. Piazza di San Pietro (St Peter's Square): St Peter's Square and the two semi-circular colonnades were designed and built by Bernini (completed in 1667). At 314 meters long and 240 meters wide it is the largest square in Rome. Bernini (with the help of his pupils) designed the 140 statues of saints which decorate the colonnade.
16. Vatican Information Office: Here you can find information about tours of the Vatican.
17. Vatican Audience Chamber: Papal audiences take place in either St Peter's Square, St Peter's Basilica or the Audience Hall. Opened in 1971 the Audience Chamber can seat up to 12000. An audience with the pope needs to be booked in advance.
18. St Peters Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro): Without a doubt the most impressive church in the world. Begun in 1506 and completed in 1626, a revised design by Bramante saw many architects working on the basilica, probably the most noteworthy contribution coming from Michelangelo.
    No longer the biggest church in the world, that right belongs to the "Basilica of our Lady of Peace" in the town of Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast.
19. Sistine Chapel: Walls by Perugino, Ghirlandaio, Botticelli, Rosselli and Signorelli, and the great altar wall and ceiling by Michelangelo. What more do you want in one room?
20. Vatican Railway Station: Built in 1930 the Vatican railway line connects with the Rome - Viterbo line. It's mostly used for freight.
21. Entrance Point for St Peters Basilica, The Tombs and St Peter's dome. See No. 6 for the entrance to the Vatican Museums.

Map of Vatican City, Related pages:

History of Vatican City
Vatican City Facts
Guide to the Vatican city area
Vatican Rome hotels map

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