As cardinals completed their gathering within the grandeur of the Sistine Chapel during the papal conclave, Travel and Hospitality presents ten facts about Vatican City—the central hub of the Roman Catholic Church and the residence of the Pope.
According to cityrometours, Vatican City is the smallest country in the world
Vatican City Gardens
Vatican City is an independent city-state encompassing slightly more than 100 acres, which makes it approximately one-eighth the size of Manhattan’s Central Park. It functions as an absolute monarchy led by the Pope. The Vatican produces its own currency in the form of euro coins, designs custom postage stamps, issues official passports and vehicle registration tags, runs various communication channels including news outlets, and maintains distinct symbols such as a national flag and patriotic song.
2. St. Peter’s Basilica rests above an underground necropolis, which includes the grave of its namesake.
St. Peter’s Basilica
In ancient times, a Roman burial ground was located on what is now known as Vatican Hill. After a massive fire devastated large parts of Rome in AD 64, Emperor Nero blamed the Christians for igniting the conflagration in an attempt to divert responsibility away from himself. Overlooking a network of catacombs and believed to be above the tomb of Saint Peter, the current basilica was constructed beginning in the sixteenth century.
3. Caligula captured the obelisk that stands in St. Peter’s Square
obelisk in Saint Peter’s Square
The Roman Emperor Caligula constructed a modest circus within his family gardens near the foot of Vatican Hill, serving as a pelatihan ground for charioteers and possibly witnessing the persecution of early Christians under Nero. Atop this amphitheater’s central point, Caligula ordered the relocation of a pylon initially situated in Heliopolis, having been transported all the way from Egypt. This towering obelisk, crafted from a singular block of red granite with a weight exceeding 350 tons, dates back over 3,000 years and was commissioned by an ancient Egyptian pharaoh.
4. For almost six decades during the 1800s and 1900s, the Popes declined to venture beyond the confines of the Vatican.
Papal rulers governed various independent Papal States across central Italy up until the nation’s unification in 1870. Following this event, the newly formed secular administration took possession of nearly all territories previously belonging to the Papal States, sparing only a portion known as Vatican City. This led to an intense standoff akin to a cold war scenario between religious authorities and governmental entities. During this period, Popes declined to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Kingdom of Italy, keeping the Vatican outside the realm of Italian governance. Pope Pius IX declared himself “a prisoner within the confines of the Vatican,” and for approximately six decades afterward, successive Popes abstained from leaving the premises of the Vatican so as not to concede sovereignty to the Italian state. In conclusion, Benito Mussolini officially established Vatican City as an autonomous entity.
The conflict between the Italian government and the Catholic Church was resolved in 1929 through the signing of the Lateran Pacts. This agreement enabled the Vatican to function as an independent sovereign nation and provided the church with compensation of approximately $92 million at the time—equivalent to over $1 billion today—for the loss of the Papal States. The Vatican utilized this sum as initial capital to rebuild its financial resources. On behalf of King Victor Emmanuel III, Mussolini, who led the Italian government, endorsed the treaty.
6. The papal residence was not established at the Vatican until the 14th century.
Despite the completion of the initial St. Peter’s Basilica, popes primarily resided at the Lateran Palace throughout Rome. In 1309, they abandoned the city entirely when the papal seat shifted to Avignon, France, following King Philip IV’s arrangement for the election of a French cardinal as Pope.
7. The Swiss Guard was employed as a mercenary army.
Since 1506, the Swiss Guard, distinguished by their armor and vibrant Renaissance-style attire, have safeguarded the pope. This practice began under Pope Julius II, who followed the animo set by numerous contemporary European courts by employing a unit from Switzerland’s renowned mercenary corps as his bodyguards. In Vatican City, the primary responsibility of the Swiss Guard remains ensuring the safety of the pontiff.
8. On numerous occasions throughout the Vatican’s history, popes used a hidden passage to escape safely.
In 1277, a half-mile-long elevated covered walkway called the Passetto di Borgo was built to connect the Vatican with the fortress-like Castel Sant’Angelo situated along the Tiber River. This passage functioned as an escape route for pontiffs; notably, it probably saved Pope Clement VII’s life in 1527 during the sacking of Rome.
9. Most of Vatican City’s 600 citizens reside outside the country.
In 2011, the total count of individuals holding Vatican citizenship was 594. This figure comprised 71 cardinals, 109 members of the Swiss Guard, 51 clergymen, and one nun within the Vatican boundaries.
10. The Vatican Observatory has a telescope located in Arizona.
As Rome grew larger, the mild pollution from the city started making it progressively harder for astronomers working at the Vatican Observatory—which was situated 15 miles away in Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer home—to observe the nighttime sky effectively. Consequently, in 1981, the observatory established an additional research facility in Tucson, Arizona.
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