Vatican City is an independent state under the absolute authority of the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. It is an enclave with Rome, Italy, with an area of 44 hectares (109 acres). The smallest independent country in the world, Vatican City was established in 1929 under terms of the Lateran Treaty, concluded by the Italian government and the papacy after many years of controversy. This treaty was superseded in 1984 by a new concordat, which, like its predecessor, recognized the full sovereignty of the Holy See (the jurisdiction of the Pope) within the state of Vatican City. * enclave：“飞地”，这是个很专业的名词：指在某一国境内，但却隶属于另一国的地区。如Vatican在意大利境内，但却是一个独立的国家。前缀en-有“包围，置于……中”等含意，例如enclosure(围栏)，encage(关在笼中)，encompass(包围、环绕)等。
* conclude：“结束、中止”的意思。Vatican City于1929开始修建，许多年后由意大利政府和罗马教廷（papacy）最后完成，其中经过了许多争论（controversy）。
* concordat：“协议”、“合同”的意思，这里指“宗教协定”，是罗马教皇与各国政府之间的协定，即，承认教皇在Vatican City的统治。
Vatican City is situated on Vatican Hill in northwestern Rome, just west of the Tiber River. It is surrounded by medieval and Renaissance walls and has six gates. Many of the most renowned artists and architects of the Italian Renaissance were commissioned by Popes to work on the Vatican's buildings. The most imposing and important edifice is Saint Peter's Basilica. Built for the most part between the 15th and 17th centuries, and designed by artists, including Bramante, Michelangelo, and Bernini, it is the world center of Roman Catholic worship. In front of the basilica is the great Piazza San Pietro (Saint Peter's Square).
* imposing：壮观的、气势宏伟的、使人难忘的。
* edifice：“建筑物”、“大厦”，规模宏大、建筑精美的building。Vatican City最宏伟的建筑是Saint Peter's Basilica（圣彼得大教堂），它是世界上最大的基督教教堂，形状象一个十字架。
* Bramante：布拉曼特，意大利建筑师、画家，文艺复兴盛期建筑风格的代表。
* Michelangelo：米开朗琪罗，意大利著名的画家。
* Bernini：贝尔尼尼，意大利建筑家、雕刻家和画家，是巴洛克艺术风格的代表人物。
* Piazza San Pietro：圣彼得广场，因位于圣彼得教堂前方而得名。
The other major edifice is the Palace of the Vatican, also known as the Papal Palace. It is a complex of buildings that contains more than 1000 rooms and houses the papal apartments, the government offices of the Roman Catholic church, several chapels and museums, and a library. The most famous portions of the palace are the Sistine Chapel, with its great ceiling frescoes painted by Michelangelo (restored 1980-1990); and Raphael's Rooms, papal apartments with frescoes painted by the Italian artist Raphael. * chapel：“小教堂”、“附属教堂”的意思。
* fresco：湿壁画，湿壁画技法。“干壁画”是fresco secco
