The Vatican City (the smallest country in the world) is located in the very heart of Rome. It is the pulse of Catholic life. It attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world, who come every year to gather in prayer and seek the blessing of the Pope. A beloved destination for all those visitors attracted by the magnificent artworks in the Vatican Museums, its foremost monument is St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church on the globe, the imposing dome of which stands regally over the rooftops of the Eternal City. The Basilica overlooks St. Peter's Square, designed by Bernini in the 17th Century, who realized the imposing lateral colonnades, consisting of 284 Doric-style columns that are topped by 140 10.17-feet-tall statues of saints and six large coats of arms of Alexander VII Chigi.