- State of the City of Vatican -
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Pope John Paul II has passed away at the age of 84 on April 2, 2005. He visited 129 nations and promoted dialogue and peace with other religious leaders during his reign for 26 years. His distinguished services and dedication towards the realization of world peace are highly appreciated all over the world.

The State of Vatican City where the Vatican Palace is located lies in the center of Rome. The state is only 0.44km² wide (about one-third of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo), definitely the world's smallest independent state. In the image, the Tevere River runs in the center from north to south, and the Castel Sant' Angelo, which is unique with its pentagon-shape, can be observed near the river above the center of the image.

A site at the left of the castle, appearing in gray and an arrow lying on top of a circle, is the Piazza di San Pietro. In the left side of the square, there lies Basilica di San Pietro, where the past popes rest in peace after leaving legacy to the world history.