```
The Vatican is perched on the Vatican Highlands to the northwest of Italy's capital, Rome, spanning an area of 0.44 square kilometers, making it the smallest country in the world. It is an independent sovereign state, bordered by Italy on all sides, hence known as the "Country within a Country."
The Vatican also serves as the center of Catholicism worldwide—home to the Holy See led by the Pope, with territories that include St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, the Papal Summer Residence, and the Vatican Museum. The country's shape is roughly triangular, enclosed by walls on three sides beyond St. Peter's Square to the southeast.
At four o'clock in the morning, the Vatican under the night sky was particularly quiet, with St. Peter's Square illuminated by soft lights, and the silhouettes of Holy See guards could vaguely be seen in the dark.
