Braccia

I never realized that Vatican City is on the “Pudong” side of the river, opposite of ancient Rome.  I took the Metro under the Tiber and walked to St. Peter’s Square.  Bit of a misnomer as it is more of an oval, resembling “arms of Mother Church” reaching out from St. Peter’s Basilica.  At the center of the oval, an Egyptian obelisk was erected in 1586.  Because why not.  The square itself was built a century later.

At Christmas time, a nativity scene…
…and Christmas tree  are added.