Which capital city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety?

Vatican City is a capital city and sovereign state whose entire territory is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO inscribed Vatican City in 1984, and the World Heritage property’s boundaries coincide with the borders of the whole city-state.

The site combines exceptional religious, artistic, and historical importance. It contains Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, papal residences, gardens, archives, and major Renaissance and Baroque artworks. The territory is also linked to the tomb traditionally identified as that of Saint Peter, making it one of Christianity’s most important pilgrimage centres.

Vatican City became an independent state through the Lateran Treaty of 1929, signed with Italy. A common mix-up is Rome: Rome’s historic centre is separately listed as a UNESCO property, and that larger site also includes certain Holy See properties outside Vatican City. Vatican City itself is the unusual case in which the World Heritage boundaries cover an entire sovereign state.