We present the seventh installment of "THE ROAD," a series of landscapes captured by photographer Hidenobu Kasahara during his tour of Italy: Vatican City, Italy.
A European nation that gained independence in 1929, the Vatican, located within Rome, is a state governed by the Pope (Holy See). It is the center, or "headquarters," of the Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches.
Although this tiny country is only 0.44 square kilometers, less than half the size of the Imperial Palace, it is a popular tourist destination visited by tourists from all over the world every day.
The reason tourists flock to the world's smallest country is to visit St. Peter's Basilica.
St. Peter's Square
The square is surrounded by a colonnade that combines ovals and trapezoids, and in the center there is a 25.5m-high obelisk.
St. Peter's Basilica
According to Catholic tradition, St. Peter's Basilica was originally a cathedral dedicated to the tomb of the Apostle Peter, and it is one of the largest Christian church buildings in the world. It has a floor area of 23,000 square meters. Adjacent to the north are the Vatican Palace, where the Pope lives, and the Vatican Museums, and the entire country, known as "Vatican City," is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (cultural heritage).
Statues of the 11 apostles line the top of the facade of St. Peter's Basilica, and you can see how large they are up close. The two statues in front of the basilica are St. Peter and St. Paul.
St. Peter's Basilica Guards
The Swiss Guards, who guard Vatican City and the Pope, wear colorful and unique uniforms. Their blue, yellow, and red striped uniforms are based on 16th-century Renaissance designs. The original uniforms are said to have been designed by Michelangelo.
Atrium/Portico of St. Peter's Basilica
Bernini's Baldachin
The basilica can accommodate 60,000 people and contains 11 chapels and 45 altars. The baldachin covering the main altar is 29 meters high. The great baldachin, created by Baroque master Bernini and taking approximately 10 years to complete starting in 1624, sits directly below the cupola designed by Michelangelo, the leading figure of the Renaissance.
Cupola designed by Michelangelo
Statues of saints are displayed beneath the four pentagonal columns that support the cupola, also designed by Michelangelo. Sunlight pours in through 16 windows, and in the center of the 132.5m-high cupola is a painting of God surrounded by angels.
Giant painting on the ceiling
Giant painting
St. Peter's Square illuminated at night
While the COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly led to a shift towards remote working, there are certainly analog things that we must cherish, like casual conversations with others or spending time admiring roadside flowers. "THE ROAD" is a story woven by the roads, people, and cities, as if such thoughts intersect.
Pay particular attention to Kasahara Hidenobu's art-like photography, which captures a quiet, warm atmosphere.
Our path continues as we look to the past, present, and future.
"THE ROAD – in Vatican"
https://hidenobu.com/the_road/
photo: Hidenobu Kasahara
Photographs featured in THE ROAD are now available for purchase on the website below.
https://www.pick-up-design.com/
The setting for this seventh installment is the world's smallest country: Vatican City, Italy.
A European nation that gained independence in 1929, the Vatican, located within Rome, is a state governed by the Pope (Holy See). It is the center, or "headquarters," of the Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches.
Although this tiny country is only 0.44 square kilometers, less than half the size of the Imperial Palace, it is a popular tourist destination visited by tourists from all over the world every day.
The reason tourists flock to the world's smallest country is to visit St. Peter's Basilica.
St. Peter's Square
The square is surrounded by a colonnade that combines ovals and trapezoids, and in the center there is a 25.5m-high obelisk.
St. Peter's Basilica
According to Catholic tradition, St. Peter's Basilica was originally a cathedral dedicated to the tomb of the Apostle Peter, and it is one of the largest Christian church buildings in the world. It has a floor area of 23,000 square meters. Adjacent to the north are the Vatican Palace, where the Pope lives, and the Vatican Museums, and the entire country, known as "Vatican City," is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (cultural heritage).
Statues of the 11 apostles line the top of the facade of St. Peter's Basilica, and you can see how large they are up close. The two statues in front of the basilica are St. Peter and St. Paul.
St. Peter's Basilica Guards
The Swiss Guards, who guard Vatican City and the Pope, wear colorful and unique uniforms. Their blue, yellow, and red striped uniforms are based on 16th-century Renaissance designs. The original uniforms are said to have been designed by Michelangelo.
Atrium/Portico of St. Peter's BasilicaBernini's Baldachin
The basilica can accommodate 60,000 people and contains 11 chapels and 45 altars. The baldachin covering the main altar is 29 meters high. The great baldachin, created by Baroque master Bernini and taking approximately 10 years to complete starting in 1624, sits directly below the cupola designed by Michelangelo, the leading figure of the Renaissance.
Cupola designed by Michelangelo
Statues of saints are displayed beneath the four pentagonal columns that support the cupola, also designed by Michelangelo. Sunlight pours in through 16 windows, and in the center of the 132.5m-high cupola is a painting of God surrounded by angels.
Giant painting on the ceilingGiant paintingSt. Peter's Square illuminated at nightWhile the COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly led to a shift towards remote working, there are certainly analog things that we must cherish, like casual conversations with others or spending time admiring roadside flowers. "THE ROAD" is a story woven by the roads, people, and cities, as if such thoughts intersect.
Pay particular attention to Kasahara Hidenobu's art-like photography, which captures a quiet, warm atmosphere.
Our path continues as we look to the past, present, and future.
"THE ROAD – in Vatican"
https://hidenobu.com/the_road/
photo: Hidenobu Kasahara
Photographs featured in THE ROAD are now available for purchase on the website below.
https://www.pick-up-design.com/
