The Vatican

Saint Peter's Square and the Basilica are perhaps the closest you can get to some of the grandeur of Ancient Rome. Saint Peter's was built using marble and stone taken mainly from the Roman Forum. Nuff said.

One interesting point is that under the basilica are the remains of a Necropolis (city of the dead) and directly under the altar you can see the bones of a man from the first century which are supposedly those of Saint Peter. You can visit the remains by booking a place in advance on the scavi tour by emailing scavi@fsp.va It is absolutely worth it in my opinion. Our tour guide appeared to be very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about her subject and really passed on a feeling of excitement about the tour. Here's a link to find out more about making reservations. Like some other attractions in Rome you aren't allowed to take photographs while you're down there, but there is an excellent book about the tour with photos on sale at L'Ufficio Scavi, and the Vatican bookshop.

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