They are buildings, cities and natural wonders. They house the heights of cultural achievement and offer backdrops for our best ideas. Asked to name the most influential place in history, previous and present TIME 100 honorees reflect on locations that have seen and in some cases helped bring about some of the most transformative moments in human experience.
Double helix stairs in Vatican Museums in Viale Vaticano, Rome
The museums house Raphael's The School of Athens, Leonardo da Vinci's St. Jerome in the Wilderness and the Belvedere Torso as well as Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. More than 4 million people visit each year.
