Introduction
Vatican City is an independent city-state within Rome and the spiritual and administrative center of the Catholic Church, home to the Pope. Its centerpiece, St. Peter's Basilica, is an Italian Renaissance church built over the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle and is the largest religious building in the world, designed with contributions from architects such as Bramante and Michelangelo. Visitors come to admire its massive dome, ornate interior, and adjoining Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.