Okay, so I wanted to map out the physical features of Vatican City. It’s tiny, right? But I figured there had to be more to it than just St. Peter’s Basilica.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed a map online – a basic one showing the main buildings and walls. I figured that would be my starting point. I wanted to get a sense of the overall layout, the borders, and the major landmarks.
The Walls and Boundaries
I started by tracing the walls. It’s pretty much completely walled in, except for that open area in front of St. Peter’s Square. I noticed the walls are pretty thick, and irregular, lots of angles, and look super old. I guess they’ve been built and rebuilt over centuries.
Major Landmarks Inside
- St. Peter’s Basilica: Obviously, this is the big one. I marked that down first. It’s huge and takes a very big part.
- St. Peter’s Square: The big open space in front of the Basilica.I sketched that in, it’s kind of oval shape.
- Vatican Museums: These are to the north of the Basilica, a collection of buildings. I roughly put the area on my map.
- Vatican Gardens: I found out these take up a surprisingly large chunk of the area, mostly on the western side. I shaded area green.
- Other Buildings: There are a bunch of other buildings – administrative offices, the Governor’s Palace, and so on. I put some block in different area to represent those.
Elevation
The map I used was mostly flat, but that will not be real. Vatican City is on a hill, the Vatican Hill. So, I tried to visualize the slope, rising up from the Tiber River towards the west. I didn’t have detailed elevation data, so I just made a note that it’s generally higher ground on that side.
Conclusion of This Mapping.
So, that’s what I’ve got. It’s not super precise, but it gives me a much better idea of the physical layout of Vatican City. It’s more than just a church – it’s a walled city with gardens, museums, and a whole bunch of other stuff packed into a tiny space.
