however, one of the
seven hills on which ancient Rome was built, but forms a part of a ridge
beginning with the Janiculum and ending with Monte Mario, all of which
was outside the ancient limits of the city. In our day the name is
applied only to the immense pontifical palace adjacent to, and connected
with, the basilica of Saint Peter's.

The present existence of this palace is principally due to Nicholas the
Fifth, the builder pope, whose gigantic scheme would startle a modern
architect. His plan was to build the Church of Saint Peter's as a
starting point, and then to construct one vast central 'habitat' for the
papal administration, covering the whole of what is called the Borgo,
from the Castle of Sant' Angelo to the cathedral. In ancient times a
portico, or covered way supported on columns, led from the bridge to the
church, and it was probably from this real structure that Nicholas began
his imaginary one, only a small part of which was ever completed. That
small portion alone comprises the basilica and the Vatican Palace, which
together form by far the greatest continuous mass of buildings in the
world. The Colosseum is 195 yards long by 156 broad, including the
thickness of the walls. Saint Peter's Church alone is 205 yards long and
156 broad, so that the whole Colosseum would easily stand upon the
ground-plan of the church, while the Vatican Palace is more than half as
long again.

Nicholas the Fifth died in 1455, and the oldest parts of the present
Vatican Palace are not older than his reign. They are generally known as
Torre Borgia, from having been inhabited by Alexander the Sixth, who
died of poison in the third of the rooms now occupied by the library,
counting from the library side. The windows of these rooms look upon the
large square court of the Belvedere, and that part of the palace is not
visible from without.

Portions of the substructure of the earlier building were no doubt
utilized by Nicholas, and the secret gallery which connects the Vatican
with the mausoleum of Hadrian is generally attributed to Pope John the
Twenty-third, who died in 1417; but on the whole it may be said that the
Vatican Palace is originally a building of the period of the Renascence,
to which all successive popes have made additions.

The ordinary tourist first sees the Vatican from the square as he
approaches from the bridge of Sant' Angelo. But his attention is from
the first drawn to the front of the church, and he