梵蒂冈城与圣彼得大教堂，罗马，意大利 Vatican City with Saint Peter's Basilica (© RudyBalasko/Getty Images)

梵蒂冈城与圣彼得大教堂，罗马，意大利 Vatican City with Saint Peter's Basilica (© RudyBalasko/Getty Images)

城中之国 A country within a city

梵蒂冈城，罗马，意大利

在意大利罗马市中心，有一个独立的国家：梵蒂冈城国。这个国家仅有 121 英亩，是世界上最小的独立国家，但其影响力却跨越了数个世纪和各大洲。作为教皇的居所和罗马天主教的精神中心，这座城墙环绕的飞地融合了艺术、历史与信仰。梵蒂冈城的核心地标是圣彼得大教堂，这座文艺复兴时期的建筑被普遍认为建于耶稣门徒、第一任罗马主教圣彼得的安葬地之上。今日图片中远景所示即为其雄伟的穹顶，也是世界上最大的教堂之一。大教堂前的圣彼得广场是教皇祝福仪式和宗教聚会的重要场所，每年吸引大量信众前来朝圣。此外，梵蒂冈博物馆与西斯廷礼拜堂也是不可错过的文化遗产，后者天顶画由米开朗基罗绘制，堪称艺术巅峰。尽管面积狭小，梵蒂冈城国却拥有独立的行政体系，包括邮政、电话系统、银行以及货币发行权。它虽非欧盟成员国，却发行专属欧元硬币。

环绕着梵蒂冈城的是罗马这座城市，本身就是一座活着的博物馆，拥有斗兽场、古罗马广场、万神殿等历史地标。在这里，信仰、历史与现代交织，带来一段独特且难忘的体验。

Vatican City with St. Peter's Basilica

In the middle of Rome, Italy, lies an entire country of its own: Vatican City. At just 121 acres, it's the smallest independent nation in the world, yet its reach spans centuries and continents. Home to the pope and the spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church, this walled enclave is a blend of art, history, and devotion. At its core stands St. Peter's Basilica. Seen in the distance in today's image, this Renaissance masterpiece is built over what is believed to be the tomb of St. Peter, the first bishop of Rome. With its soaring dome dominating the skyline, the basilica is one of the largest churches in the world. Just beyond the basilica lies St. Peter's Square, where thousands gather for papal blessings. The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, which houses Michelangelo's famed ceiling, are other must-sees. Despite its size, Vatican City has its own postal service, telephone system, and banking system.