Vatican City (The Holy See)

The moon climbs slowly past the Michelangelo-designed dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The world's smallest independent nation is the spiritual center for the world's one billion Catholics. From this state within the city of Rome, the Pope ministers to a flock of more than a billion Roman Catholics. The Lateran Treaty between Italy and the Holy See created an independent Vatican City in 1929. The Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with more than 150 countries; issues passports, coins, and stamps; has a radio station and a publishing house; and billets a force of Swiss Guards. John Paul II, the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years, was elected in 1978. Pope Benedict XVI was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican City in 2005 after Pope John Paul II's death. Vatican City state in the world in terms of inhabitants and size. It occupies an area of 44 hectares. The borders are represented by its walls and the travertine pavement curve that joins the two wings of the colonnades in St Peter’s Square. Beyond the territory of the State, Vatican jurisdiction also covers some extraterritorial areas within and outside Rome.

Heart of Vatican City

Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, is a very special place to visit. Located within the city of Rome, Italy, Vatican City is a separate country ruled by the pope and is a place where one can find faith and art intertwined. For those interested in art, the Vatican has one of the premier collections of the world, encompassing sculptures, paintings, architecture and more. Since early popes were patrons of many well-known artists during the Renaissance period, the Vatican has retained works that were created there by geniuses such as Raphael and Michelangelo. Although access to many of the wonders is restricted to casual visitors, tourists can find amazing treasures to view at Vatican City. Here are 10 things to do there.

ST. PETER’S BASILICA

The massive basilica said to be built over the grave of St. Peter is so huge that it’s hard to fully take in all the details. Works by Bramante, Bernini, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Maderno overwhelm, and there are acres of marble, magnificent mosaics, and Michelangelo’s amazing dome in St. Peter’s, the world’s largest church and headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. It is difficult to decide whether to look up, down, or to the side as there are treasures everywhere in the church, and visitors can spend hours seeing all of the interesting features. Bernini’s canopy, the dome, the treasury, the statue of St. Peter, the Pieta, and the grotto should all be seen, and it is possible to attend services in the church also. To enter the church, acceptable clothing must be worn; no shorts, sleeveless shirts, mini skirts, etc. are permitted. Admission to the basilica is free.

PIETA
The Pieta, Michelangelo’s remarkable statue of Mary holding Jesus as he is taken down from the cross, is in the first chapel in St. Peter’s. Sculpted when Michelangelo was in his 20s, the Pieta is his only signed sculpture; notice the signature on the ribbon that runs diagonally across Mary’s chest. La Pieta has been recreated in numerous copies around the world as an example of pure beauty. In 1972 a disturbed man tried to destroy the statue with a hammer; today it is in a glass case for protection.

GROTTOS
Downstairs in the basilica are the tombs of the popes, including the one said to be that of St. Peter’s. The stairs that lead down to the grottos are not readily visible; they’re near the bronze of St. Peter to the right of the central nave. While some may find the grottos a little spooky, the tombs are interesting; to go down to the necropolis vaticana, which is farther down around the tomb of St. Peter, permission for a tour must be granted by the excavations office several weeks in advance.


ROOFTOP & DOME There are 491 steps leading up to the dome at the top of the basilica; you can save steps by taking the elevator to the top of the roof. The rooftop itself is a great destination; you can see the statues of the disciples up-close, take amazing photos of Rome, and there’s even a gift shop and post office where you can mail postcards with a Vatican City postmark. If you make it to the top of the dome, you will have a fantastic view of both the inside of the church and a view of the Vatican Gardens and Rome outside. The walk up, while exerting, is worth the great views, although if you aren’t in top shape you may have to stop and rest along the way.

PIAZZA SAN PIETRO St. Peter’s Square is in front of the basilica and is laid out in an oval shape. Designed by the artist Bernini, the plaza features two colonnades in a semicircle arrangement, each containing four rows of Doric-style columns. There is an Egyptian obelisk in the center of the plaza and also two fountains. A favorite activity of tourists is to stand on one of the circles between the fountains and the obelisk and look down the columns; they line up perfectly so the rows behind can’t be seen.

SWISS GUARDS The Swiss guards were first hired by Pope Julius II in 1506, and the Vatican and the pope have been protected ever since by them; they stand near the entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica. The guards wear very distinctive uniforms, consisting of blue and yellow striped pantaloons and jacket with red accents and a beret, and they hold a halberd, a long lance with an axe on one end. The guards, which number 100 in all, are all Roman Catholic Swiss men, and they swear allegiance to the pope. Although their uniforms appear to be ceremonial, the guards serve a real purpose today against anyone who would harm the pope, and they receive modern military training.


VATICAN MUSEUMS The Vatican Museums are near the basilica and contain priceless works of art from ancient to modern times. There are many different galleries; seeing all of them is definitely not possible in one day, so doing a little research before visiting and deciding what you really want to see is the best plan. There are countless pieces of art, including statues, busts, Renaissance paintings, tapestries, early icons, Egyptian artifacts, etc., and there is so much art in this museum that the visitor is totally overwhelmed. Two of the most well-known exhibits in the Vatican Museums are the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael rooms, and you will see many works that were in your history and art books in school. The double-helix spiral staircase at the entrance/exit to the museum is a work of art in itself. Purchasing the audio tour is a good idea, as it will tell you all about the works in the museum.

SISTINE CHAPEL Although the Sistine Chapel is always very crowded, it is a must-see for any visitor to the Vatican Museums. The magnificent frescoed ceiling of the chapel painted by Michelangelo depicts over 300 figures from the Book of Genesis, the most well-known being "The Creation of Adam," showing God touching the finger of Adam. "The Last Judgment" on the west wall depicts a scene from the Book of Revelations. The chapel’s frescoes have been restored to remove the centuries of grime; work began in 1979 and took twenty years to complete, but the colors are much more vibrant now than before the restoration.


COURTYARD OF THE PIGNA This courtyard off the Vatican Museum, designed by Bramante, contains some very interesting pieces of sculpture and a lovely green lawn. There’s a huge pinecone, which was once part of a fountain, and a giant head of Octavia. In the center of the courtyard is an enormous modern spherical sculpture by Pomodoro that is quite unusual. This is a good place to take photographs, especially group ones.


CASTEL SANT’ANGELO The castle, originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, was used as a safe place for the popes, and there was a secret passage connecting it to the Vatican. A bridge, the Ponte Angelo, spans the Tiber River and connects the castle to Vatican City from Rome. The castle was also used as a prison and a fortress, and it is now a national museum. Dan Brown, author of the best-selling book "The DaVinci Code," has recently revived interest in the circular castle by featuring it in his book "Angels and Demons."

Transportation in Vatican City

There are two initials that identify vehicles registered in the Vatican Automobile Register: SCV, for vehicles belonging to the Vatican City State and Departments of the Holy See; CV for vehicles that are the property of Vatican citizens and individuals who, in agreement with Italian authorities, are allowed to register their vehicles in Vatican City. The international abbreviation is V.
The transportation system in Vatican City, a country 1.05 km long and 0.85 km wide is a small transportation system with no airports or highways. Given the average walking speed of 3.6 km/h , people could walk from one end of Vatican City to the other in 20 minutes or less. Thus, much of the infrastructure in the Vatican consists of St. Peter's Square itself, hallways and aisles in the basilica and surrounding buildings, and walkways behind and between the buildings. There is a heliport in the western corner of the city-state that is used for visiting heads and officials of the Holy See. Rome is served by two airports which are used by travellers to the Vatican.

Railway
Main article: Rail transport in Vatican City
There is a short 852 metre or 932 yard standard gauge (1435 mm or 4 ft 8½ in) railway that connects to surrounding Italy's network at the Saint Peter's station in the capital of Rome. The station was designed by architect Giuseppe Momo and was constructed during the reign of Pope Pius XI after the conclusion of the Lateran Treaties and opened in 1933 but now houses shops. The railway was originally planned to transport pilgrims, as was intended during the reign of Pius XI, but has only been rarely used to transport passengers. Pope John XXIII was the first to make use of the railway, and Pope John Paul II was known to have used it as well very rarely. The railway is mainly used only to transport freight. Rome Metro line A passes the country at Ottaviano and Cipro-Musei Vatican. Both stops are a ten minute walk away from the city-state.

Pontifical Anthem and it's story

Vatican City State has its own flag and anthem like any other universally recognized, sovereign nation. On 16 October 1949 Pope Pius XII decided that Charles Gounod’s (1818-1893) Pontifical March should become the official hymn. At the time, the French musician and devout Catholic was already a famous composer, especially well known for his lyrical work Faust and his composition of Ave Maria.

The Pontifical Hymn The music of the current Pontifical Hymn was composed by Gounod for the anniversary of the incoronation of Blessed Pope Pius IX to whom he was particularly devoted. The Pontifical March was performed for the first time on the afternoon of 11 April 1869 during celebrations marking the Pope’s jubilee of priestly ordination. On that day in St. Peter’s Square a large crowd had gathered for a special concert following the morning’s liturgical celebrations in the Basilica. The concert brought together seven pontifical bands with members belonging to seven different papal corps and regiments in Rome (Papal Gendarmes conducted by maestro Roland, Reggimenti di Linea conducted by maestro Baffo, Cacciatori conducted by Pezzina, Zuavi conducted by maestro Willimburg, Carabinieri stationed outside Italy, Legione Romana conducted by maestro Angelini, Reggimento Dragoni). They were accompanied by a chorus made up of over one thousand soldiers. The Pontifical March of Gounod was widely applauded and played numerous times, as the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reported the following day.

Pope Pius IX received the greetings of numerous diplomats gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica with the five thousand faithful for the morning celebration. Later in the day, he appeared at the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the crowds applauding below and filling the square for the concert. The seven musical bands were lined up along the steps in the square and when the Pope appeared they began with “the new hymn written especially for the occasion by maestro Gounod and to be accompanied by a chorus of one thousand soldiers”, as announced by the Vatican newspaper the day before. In the past, whenever the Pope would appear, the bands would play the Triumphal March, the old anthem composed by Hallmayer. The new composition was immensely successful. On 12 April 1869 the Vatican newspaper reported that “the anthem was played again and again numerous times”. It was performed often after this event and became famous for its majesty and solemnity, almost of a liturgical character. However, it was only adopted as the official Pontifical Hymn 81 years later, even though many had wished it were done so immediately.

The Pontifical Hymn of Gounod, which was officially adopted on the eve of the Holy Year 1950, is quite different from the previous anthem composed by Hallmayer and reflects a style of that period consisting of a lively and bright rhythm, like that of a waltz. Pope Pius XII decided to change the anthem with the still well known Pontifical March of Gounod, given its religious tone thought to be more appropriate for the times. The music was performed for the first time as the new, official anthem during a solemn ceremony on Christmas Eve of 1949 which was also the vigil of the opening of the Holy Year 1950. The old anthem was also played almost as a sign of respect to mark its passing. The musical band of the Palatine Guard of Honor was lined up with all its divisions in the San Damaso Courtyard and performed the music after the order of the day was read out announcing the official change in anthem. The Palatine Guard of Honor was later disolved by Pope Paul VI along with the other corps of armed guards in the Vatican, except for the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

Today the Pontifical Hymn of Gounod is performed by a civilian band during the most solemn occasions concerning the life of Vatican City State and during ceremonies in which the Holy Father or one of his representatives is present.
It is important to underscore that the Pontifical Hymn is not to be understood as a national anthem. The words of maestro Antonio Allegra and maestro Raffaello Lavagna speak to the heart of many throughout the world who see in Rome the See of Peter.

The compositional and musical characteristics which make Gounod’s Pontifical Hymn so famously evocative were described by maestro Antonino De Luca, Director of the Palatine Band in the February 1950 issue of Vita Palatina with the following words: “The Pontifical March of Gounod, which reveals the strong personality of the author of Faust, is a composition with an andamento maestoso. The first part in F major begins with a well chosen sound of the trumpet, after which the entire orchestra joins in, signifying and underscoring an atmosphere of calm grandiosity. The second part, instead, has a new feeling of profound religiosity which comes from sense of spiritual primacy. The third part begins with a fortissimo which marks an almost urgent detachment from every earthly concern.”


The Lyrics of the Pontifical Hymn

When Gounod’s hymn was officially adopted in 1949, Msgr. Antonio Allegra (1905-1969), one of the organist’s of St. Peter’s Basilica at the time, composed a text in Italian, today commonly sung, beginning with the words “O Rome Immortal of Martyrs and Saints”. Interestingly, the Pontifical Hymn never had lyrics in Latin. However, to make it possible for the faithful around the world to participate in singing it using a more common language, a Latin text was created for Gounod’s Pontifical Hymn which begins with “O felix Roma – o Roma nobilis”, written by the Msgr. Raffaello Lavagna (1918-…), a Canon from Savona, Italy. The author found as inspiration for the text the many verses found in scripture referring to St. Peter. The Hymn with these new lyrics was performed for the first time in private by the Iubilate Deo chorus directed by Sr. Dolores Aguirre on 15 June 1991 in the presence of the Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Santa Maria di Galeria Broadcast Center of Vatican Radio, marking its 60th anniversary that year. The first public performance took place on 16 October 1993 in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican. It was played by the chorus and orchestra of Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk of Leipzig, Germany, as part of the celebrations to mark the 15th anniversary of the election of John Paul II and the 100th anniversary of the death of Charles GounoVatican (Holy See)


Lyrics of National Anthem:

English Translation

Pontifical Hymn


O Rome immortal, city of martyrs and saints,


O immortal Rome, accept our praises.


Glory in the heavens to God our LordAnd peace to men who love Christ!


To you we come, angelic Pastor,In you we see the gentle Redeemer.


You are the holy heir of our Faith,You are the comfort and the refuge of those who believe and fight.


Force and terror will not prevail,


But truth and love will reign.
Pontifical MarchHail,


O Rome,Eternal abode of memories;


A thousand palms and a thousand altarsSing your praises.


O city of the Apostles,Mother and guide of the elect,Light of the nations,


And hope of the world!Hail,


O Rome!Your light will never fade;The splendour of your beautyDisperses hatred and shame.


O city of the Apostles,Mother and guide of the elect,


Light of the nations,


And hope of the world!

Flag of the Vatican City

The flag of Vatican City was adopted on June 7, 1929, the year Pope Pius XI signed the Lateran treaty with Italy, creating a new independent state governed by the Holy See. The Vatican flag is modeled on the flag of the earlier Papal States.

The flag of the Vatican City consists of:
two vertical bands, one of gold (hoist side) and one of white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the Papal Tiara centered in the white band. It is one of only two square country flags in the world, the other being the flag of Switzerland.

The Vatican City coat of arms can be found in the white half. The coat of arms consists of:

The papal tiara (as used under the pontificate of Pius XI);
the two keys which represent the keys to Heaven (according to the Gospel of Matthew 16:19) given by Jesus Christ to St. Peter.

• The popes are regarded as the successor of Peter, and the gold and silver keys have been significant elements in the symbolism of the Papal State since the 13th century.
• The gold represents spiritual power, while the silver key represents worldly power.
  a red cord connecting the keys.
  
• The yellow and white of the flag also refer to the keys – in heraldry yellow represents gold, while white represents silver.

Head of state

John Paul II
POPE

• ex officio head of state and head of government

• Functions dependent on his primordial function as the bishop of the Archdiocese of Rome.

• “Holy See” - Pope's spiritual and pastoral governance, largely exercised through the His Roman Curia.

• Official title with regard to Vatican City is Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City.

• Technically, an absolute monarch, meaning he has total legislative, executive and judicial power over Vatican City. He is the only absolute monarch in Europe.

• Elected for a life term in conclave by cardinals under the age of 80.

• His principal subordinate government official for Vatican City is the President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, who since 1952 exercises the functions previously belonging to the Governor of Vatican City. Since 2001, the President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State also has the title of President of the Governorate of the State of Vatican City.

• Resides in the Papal Apartments of the Papal Palace just off St. Peter's Square. It is here he carries out his business and meets foreign representatives.

• The current Pope is Benedict XVI, born Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Bavaria, Germany.

• Italian Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo serves as President of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City. He was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on 11 September 2006.

History Of Vatican City

Vatican City State was founded following the signing of the Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy on February 11th 1929. These were ratified on June 7th 1929. Its nature as a sovereign State distinct from the Holy See is universally recognized under international law. The Catholic Church carries out its mission of announcing the truth of the Gospel for the salvation of all humanity and in the service of peace and justice in favour of all peoples, both through the various specific and local Churches spread throughout the world, as well as through its central government. This is made up of the Pope and the Departments of the Roman Curia that assist him in carrying out his responsibilities towards the universal Church (identified as the Apostolic See or Holy See). The Pope lives in Vatican City where several of the aforementioned Departments are to be found. Vatican City State has the singular characteristic of being an instrument of the independence of the Holy See, and of the Catholic Church, from any earthly power. In a way, it is a sign of the Church’s supernatural character insofar as the structures of Vatican City are reduced to the minimum necessary to guarantee its functions.The Pontifical Military Corps, except for the Swiss Guard, was disbanded by will of Pope Paul VI, as expressed in a letter of September 14th 1970. The Gendarme Corps of Vatican City State is responsible for all police activities and answers to the State Authority. It is a civil, not a military, organization.

Vatican City in the Past

The term Vatican was used in ancient times to identify the marshy area on the right bank of the Tiber River, between the Milvio Bridge and the present Sixtus Bridge. During the monarchy and the republican age, the area was known as Ager Vaticanus. It extended northwards as far as the mouth of the Cremera and southwards at least as far as the Janiculum. In the Imperial age, from the 2nd century A.D., the toponym Vaticanum was applied to an area corresponding roughly to the present Vatican City State. During the Roman period, the area outside the city of Rome was reclaimed. In addition, many villas, Agrippina’s gardens, Emperor Caligula's (37-41 A.D.) mother's house and a wide necropolis were built along the main roads. In his mother’s gardens, Caligula built a small circus to let the charioteers train (Gaianum), which was later restored by Nero (54-68 A.D.).

Tradition has it that Peter suffered martyrdom there in the great Christian persecution ordered by Nero in 64 A.D. Various tombs have been dug along Via Trionfale, the street which leads northwards from St Peter’s Square to Monte Mario, while along Via Cornelia, which led westwards, the necropolis with the tomb of the apostle Peter is located. The presence of Peter represents the topographic centre of the area insofar as it has always ranked among the most significant destinations for Christian pilgrims. Many Christians, led by their desire to be near St Peter, wished to be buried near his tomb. The necropolis was covered over during the building of the basilica dedicated to the Apostle, which was commissioned by Emperor Constantine (306-337 A.D.). This building determined the later development of the area.

After formally recognizing the Christian religion with the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., Emperor Constantine started construction of a great church around 324. The church had a nave and four aisles, a transept and an apse, at the centre of which the tomb of Peter was placed. Stairs and a four-sided portico for the non-baptized completed the structure. In the meantime Nero’s circus was gradually falling into ruin, partly because many of its stones were used to build the new church, which was rapidly becoming a new attraction in Rome. Some years later, in memory of Peter, Leo IV (847-855) built the first walls of the "civitas" which derived its name "Leonina" from him and which became the spiritual centre of medieval and renaissance Rome. Although the popes resided in the Lateran Palace during the Middle Ages, some buildings were built at that time in the area near St Peter’s. The first of these was constructed under the pontificates of Eugene III (1145-1153) and Innocent III (1198-1216).

These were then enlarged in the late 12th-early 13th century when the Leonine Walls were also restored. In 1309 the papal court was moved to Avignon. Rome and St Peter’s were abandoned for over a century. Although the popes returned to Rome in 1377, another fifty years passed before the city regained its former lustre. The possibility of completely rebuilding St Peter’s was first broached in the mid-15th century. Pope Nicholas V (1447-1455) had the architect Bernardo Rossellino draw up plans for enlarging the Basilica, adding on an apse more prominent than the Constantinian one. The project had to be abandoned a few years later, when the Turks started to advance and Constantinople fell.

Between 1477 and 1480 Pope Sixtus IV (1471-1492) started building a great chapel, named "Sistina" after him, decorated with frescoes painted by the major Italian painters of the time. It was inaugurated on 15th August 1483. Great changes were introduced by Julius II (1503-1513), who radically transformed the small city. He started to pull down the Constantinian basilica, began work on the new Saint Peter’s, and built the famous Belvedere Courtyard. His intention was to connect the small Palace of Belvedere, which was constructed by his predecessor Innocent VIII (1484-1492) and which stood to the north of the courtyard, with the cluster of medieval buildings to the south.

Pope Julius also summoned Raphael and Michelangelo to Rome, asking them, respectively, to fresco the papal apartments and the Sistine Chapel. Work continued throughout the century. After various initial difficulties were overcome, the Basilica of Saint Peter was planned and built by Michelangelo (mid-16th century). Giacomo Della Porta then covered the area of the basilica with a magnificent "vaulted" dome. Early in the 17th century the church was enlarged by Maderno, who added two bays to the longitudinal section. Bernini completed it in mid-century, designing the splendid square which was enclosed by two hemicycles of four rows of columns. These gave the square the present baroque appearance, and connected this place of prayer to the rest of the city.

General Information

Origins and Nature

Vatican City State was founded following the signing of the Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy on February 11th 1929. These were ratified on June 7th 1929. Its nature as a sovereign State distinct from the Holy See is universally recognized under international law. The Catholic Church carries out its mission of announcing the truth of the Gospel for the salvation of all humanity and in the service of peace and justice in favour of all peoples, both through the various specific and local Churches spread throughout the world, as well as through its central government. This is made up of the Pope and the Departments that assist him in carrying out his responsibilities towards the universal Church (identified as the Apostolic See or Holy See). The Pope lives in Vatican City where several of the aforementioned Departments are to be found. Vatican City State has the singular characteristic of being an instrument of the independence of the Holy See, and of the Catholic Church, from any earthly power. In a way, it is a sign of the Church’s supernatural character insofar as the structures of Vatican City are reduced to the minimum necessary to guarantee its functions.

Geography

Vatican City lies just beyond the right bank of the Tiber River on a slight rise, part of the ancient Montes Vaticani (the Vatican Hill), on which several villas were built in pre-Christian times.

Vatican City Coordinates: 41°54′10″N, 12°27′9″E — formally State of the Vatican City, or Vatican City State (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano, Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae) — is a sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a landlocked, almost completely walled, enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. The entire state is about 44 hectares (108.7 acres) and thus is a European microstate. It is the smallest independent nation in the world, created in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty, and a vestige of the much larger former Papal States (A.D. 756 to A.D. 1870). Since it is governed by the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), its government can be described as ecclesiastical and the highest state functionaries are in fact clergymen. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Latin:Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Apostolic Palace — the Pope's official residence — and the Roman Curia. Thus, although the principal ecclesiastical seat of the Holy See (Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is the pope's cathedral) is located in Rome itself, the Vatican City can be said to be the governmental capital of the Catholic Church

The Roman Emperor Caligula (37-41AD) had a private circus built here. It appears that many Christians living in Rome during the reign of the Emperor Nero (54-68AD) were martyred in this circus and in the adjoining gardens.

St Peter was buried to the north of the circus, in a necropolis that lay beside a secondary road. Between 324 and 326 AD, the Emperor Constantine built a magnificent basilica over the burial site. It was replaced by the present Basilica between the 16th and 17th centuries.

Vatican City covers a territory of 0.44 square kilometres, that is 44 hectares (roughly 100 acres). It is partly surrounded by walls and stretches into St Peter’s Square as far as a strip of travertine stone that corresponds with the furthest end of the colonnade. This marks the boundary of the State and the edge of the Square which is normally open to everyone. Even though it is part of Vatican City, the Square is usually patrolled by members of the Italian Police Force.

There are five entrances to Vatican City, each of them guarded by the Pontifical Swiss Guards and by the Gendarmes Corps of Vatican City State. The entrance to the Vatican Museums is on Viale Vaticano, not far from Piazza del Risorgimento.

Because Vatican City is so small, several Departments and offices belonging to the Holy See are situated in buildings around Rome (in Piazza Pio XII, Via della Conciliazione, Piazza San Calisto, Piazza della Cancelleria and in Piazza di Spagna). According to the Lateran Treaty, these buildings enjoy the same status, recognized by international law, as embassies and foreign diplomatic missions abroad.

The areas occupied by these buildings are commonly known as “extraterritorial”.

Extraterritoriality

International protection of the territory

The whole area of Vatican City is under the protection of the Hague Convention of May 14th 1954 regarding the safeguarding of cultural heritage sites in the case of armed conflicts.

In 1984, Vatican City was registered as a world cultural and natural heritage site in terms of the UNESCO Convention of November 16th 1972, which guarantees the protection of such sites.

Vatican City State is also internationally recognized as a moral, artistic and cultural heritage site that merits respect and protection as a treasure that belongs to the whole of humanity.

Maritime access

Even though Vatican City has no direct access to the sea, by virtue of the Barcelona Declaration of 1921, it is allowed to sail its own vessels flying the papal flag.

However, the Vatican does not avail itself of this right at this time.

Population

People
Population: 800-813.

Ethnic groups: Italian, Swiss, other.

Religion: Catholic.Language: Latin.Literacy: 100%.

Work force: About 3,000 lay workers (mostly resident outside the Vatican).

The population of Vatican City is about 800 people, of whom over 450 have Vatican citizenship, while the rest have permission to reside there, either temporarily or permanently, without the benefit of citizenship.

About half of the Vatican’s citizens do not live inside Vatican City. Because of their occupations (mostly as diplomatic personnel), they live in different countries around the world. The conferral or loss of citizenship, authorization to live inside Vatican City and formalities for entering the territory, are governed by special regulations issued according to the Lateran Treaty.

Coins and Stamps

Vatican City mints its own coins and issues its own postage stamps.

By reason of a monetary Convention with Italy, which acted on behalf of the European Community on December 29th 2000, Vatican coins (with the exception of gold and silver coins) are legal tender throughout Italy and the rest of the European Union.
This Convention gave Vatican City State the right to use the Euro as its official currency, starting on January 1st 1999. Vatican City State enacted the appropriate legislation (n.CCCLVII) on July 26th 2001.

The Vatican has an agreement with the Italian State mint (the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato) to mint its coinage up to a maximum of one million Euro per year.
In 1996, looking ahead to the Jubilee Year 2000, the Vatican began minting gold coins again. They had been issued regularly each year from 1929 until 1959. Since the Jubilee Year new gold coins have been issued annually.
The issue of postage stamps is not subject to special limitations, except those established by postage service agreements with Italy and those contained in international conventions, to which Vatican City State adheres.

Travel to Vatican City is a 'why not'

> unfamiliar place + unfamiliar food + surrounds with Italians people + problem in communicate + lack of time + security + I'M LOST!!!

People are happy when they found a map ; "I have a map! yeay! I will not get lost" This perspective is wrong, with a weird lines and thousands of dots you will feel more depressing! =) Here are some of our helpful information that traveller needs to know :

1. Things you'll need when you go travel.
- Rental car + Hotel reservation + Plane tickets + Credit card + Laptop +
Luggage + Map

2. Travel to Vatican City?
- Take a flight to Rome from any major City.
-Take the train from another European location. Trains go to Termini Station in Rome , northeast of Palatine Hill.
-Take the bus. A major bus company connects Rome to other European destinations.
> There are no highways, railroads, or airports. The Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. It only has streets within the city.

Go from place to place;
-Go by foot within Vatican City to visit out-of-the-way spots and museums.
-Travel from Rome by taxi.
-Take the subway to the museums
-Take the bus from your accommodations to Vatican City . The city's bus company is ATAC, and buses run from 6:00 a.m. to midnight.


3. The perfect time to go travel.
- Spring and fall are low seasons for tourism, they're also the nicest times to explore Rome . Flights are cheaper, hotels prices drop about 25 percent, and the attractions and restaurants don't draw huge crowds. Just pack a sweater and raincoat.

-The average low in January is 47 degrees F and the average high in July is 82 degrees F. From mid-May until October there's always a risk that the heat and humidity will combine to make it unpleasant.

-Be aware that summer is high tourist season, so the big attractions draw big crowds. Avoid a visit during the second half of August when many Romans vacation out of the city and Rome practically shuts down.

-Check out what festivals, expositions and live performances are happening.
-Contact the Rome Tourist Office, or Ente Provinciale per il Turismo, Via Parigi 11, Roma 00185, or call (06) 48899253.

-Check the weather forecast for Rome shortly before leaving, and pack accordingly.

4. How to use key phrase in Italian ?
- Use "ciao" (pronounced "CHOW") for both "hello" and "goodbye"
-Introduce yourself by saying "Mi chiamo" (mee key-AHM-oh) and then your name.
-Make copious use of "per favore" (pehr fa-VORE-ay) and "grazie" (GRATS-ee-ay) to say "please" and "thank you."
-Say "sì" (SEE) for "yes," and "no" (NOH) for "no
-Say "dove" (DOH-vay), which means "where," .
-Use "vorrei" (vohr-RAY), which means "I would like," Just point to whatever you want .
-If all of the above fails, ask "Parla inglese?" (PAHR-lay een-GLAY-say), or "Do you speak English?"

5. Food in Vatican City.
Vatican Restaurants :
-L’Arcangelo - Delicious cuisine, great atmosphere.
-Del Frate - Fresh modern Italian cuisine set within an historic bottle shop.
-Borgo Antico - Small wooden beamed eatery specializing in hearty local cuisine like porcini muchrooms and fried polenta.
-Zen - Closed Mon & Sat lunchZen is a modern Kaitan style Japanese restaurant situated close to the Tiber and Piazza del Popolo
Cafeteria.Bar.Pizzeria (The Vatican Museums )
*open during museum opening hours, and until about one hour after closing
PRATI :
-Siciliainbocca, Via E. Faa di Bruno 26 (Metro line A, Cipro.), nice Sicilian restaurant in the quiet (and somewhat boring) part of northern Prati. Try the swordfish and the lemon sorbet! reasonable. Fish plate around €15, but do order some antipasti and pasta.
-Insalata Ricca, Via Fulcieri Paulucci De' Calboli (Near piazza Manzoni). Part of a Rome-based chain, offers good salads and other food to both tourists and locals. Cheap.

6. Shops & Stores.
-The broad Via Della Conciliazione that leads into St. Peter's Square is surrounded on both sides by religious goods and book shops.
-For more shops walk along the street near the Post Office, Via di Porta Angelica. The side streets all have numerous gift shops and small restaurants and ice cream shops.
-The area around Saint Peters Basilica is called the Borgo, it's the oldest part of the Vatican and has many characteristic trattorie and outdoor cafes.
-The main shopping street of Cola di Rienza stretches from Piazza Risorgimento all the way to the Tiber River near Piazza del Popolo, via Cola di Rienzo is a broad boulevard with all of Italy's fashion stores represented and has its own daily fresh food market.

7. Facility & Security
-Electricity, telephones, and other utilities are provided by Italy.
-The Vatican Post Office is on the right of the square if you are facing St. Peter's.
-Vatican radio station broadcasts all over the world in 29 languages, it has it's television station, the dialy newspaper.
-The internal police power of the Vatican City is the Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera). External defense of the Vatican City against foreign enemies is the responsibility of Italy.
-Transport in and out of Vatican City, apartments and hotels.

8. DO'S & DON'TS
-There are no lodging opportunities in the Vatican City itself.
-Sleeveless shirts and short pants or skirts are not permitted within the border of the Vatican.

For More Information and references.

Just click at the links below:

http://www.vatican.va/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108136.html

http://schools-wikipedia.org/wp/v/Vatican_City.html

www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/vaticancity.html

www.planetware.com/maps/vatican-city

www.flags.net/country.php?country=VACY&section=CURR

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_flagen.

wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Vatican_City

tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187793-Activities-c1-Vatican_City_Lazi..

en.wikipedia.org/.../Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_Vatican_City

www.planetware.com/vatican-city/vatican-museums-scv-scv-rmv.html

http://www.blogger.com/.%20www.gothereguide.com/vatican+city-