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Vatican City, the place where the sun rises and sets past the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica designed by the legend himself, the
great Michelangelo. This city is the smallest sovereign state in the world. Vatican City in spite of being a part of Italy strangely stands out as an independent state. It was not this way always; the Lateran Treaty established the state after a long series of disputes with the Italian government and gradually the king was taking over the authority but then the Lateran Treaty made Vatican City independent in 1929 and with that Roman Catholicism earned a special place for it in Italy.
A concordat was again signed in the year 1984 between the Holy See (Vatican City) and Rome and this time there were certain modifications and alterations that were done to the previous treaty signed. The modifications that were given way were regarding Roman Catholicism being the state religion of Italy. Italy was given religious freedom, though the papal influence was quite strong and the American state established diplomatic relationship with the Vatican City, not to incite and invite its ire.
Vatican City invokes a great sense of being teleported back to history. The very foundations of Christianity were laid down here. All the debates between science and culture and religion, all the attempts at saving either sides, the priories formed, the secret brotherhood, everything seems to come alive in this very place. The Vatican has its own Post office and issues its own stamps. The Vatican mail system is widely used by Romans as in most cases is a lot quicker than Italian mail. The Vatican's railway Station was opened in 1930 and is mostly used for freight. The Vatican City issues its own passports; the Pope, cardinals, members of the Swiss Guard and clergy being the recipients.
The entire country encompasses of a heritage site. It’s like walking through the making of the church. A pious feel of loyalty or an angry urge of betrayal, anybody is bound to feel either. Piazza di San Pietro (St Peter's Square) and the colonnade were designed and built by Bernini (completed in 1667). At 314 meters long and 240 meters wide it is the largest square in Rome. Bernini (with the help of his pupils) designed the 140 statues of saints which decorate the colonnade.
There are tons of interesting stories about the Vatican city hidden in those walls, one of them would be, as follows; It is documented that after Pope Leo came a Pope Joan.
John Anglicus, born in Mainz, was recorded as being pope for two years, seven months and four days. It is is claimed that John was in fact female.
Joan/John was taken to Athens by a lover of hers and made to conceal her identity by dressing in men's clothes. Joan was an extremely bright scholar and rose quickly in society. In Rome she rose quickly amongst learned masters and students and soon she was the choice of everyone for Pope.
While pope she became pregnant by her companion and it is said she gave birth during a procession from St Peter's Basilica to the Lateran, in a narrow lane between the Colosseum and St Clement's church. After her identity was discovered she was killed and buried in that same place.
Vatican City doesn’t have its own public transportation system – something that would doom many destinations as unfriendly to travelers. But of course the Vatican doesn’t need its own public transportation when it can so easily use Rome’s. Rome’s bus system is efficient and cheap, and it gives those unfamiliar with the city the ability to look out the window for landmarks to assist with navigation. The network of buses runs throughout the entire city, making it the most far-reaching transportation system within the city, so, you can get to the Vatican by bus from pretty much anywhere you are in Rome.
Rome’s Metro is as easy as any subway to understand, but it’s far from being the best way to get around the city. Every time they dig for a new line in Rome, they unearth a new ancient ruin – which is why Rome’s Metro is the same paltry two lines that it’s been for decades. Thankfully for those visiting the Vatican from central Rome, however, one of those lines will get you reasonably close to the Vatican.
This might sound crazy but you can walk to Vatican city as well. Assuming your starting point is on the side of the Tiber that’s home to things like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Termini Station, your first order of business is to begin heading west toward a bridge to get you across the river. There are lots of bridges that cross the Tiber, and many of them carry cars as well as pedestrians.
The prettiest bridge to walk across – partly because it’s pedestrian-only – is the one that leads directly to the Castel Sant’Angelo. It’s called, cleverly, the Ponte Sant’Angelo, or Sant’Angelo Bridge. The other nearby option is the one that leads from the big Corso Emanuele II.
A concordat was again signed in the year 1984 between the Holy See (Vatican City) and Rome and this time there were certain modifications and alterations that were done to the previous treaty signed. The modifications that were given way were regarding Roman Catholicism being the state religion of Italy. Italy was given religious freedom, though the papal influence was quite strong and the American state established diplomatic relationship with the Vatican City, not to incite and invite its ire.
Vatican City invokes a great sense of being teleported back to history. The very foundations of Christianity were laid down here. All the debates between science and culture and religion, all the attempts at saving either sides, the priories formed, the secret brotherhood, everything seems to come alive in this very place. The Vatican has its own Post office and issues its own stamps. The Vatican mail system is widely used by Romans as in most cases is a lot quicker than Italian mail. The Vatican's railway Station was opened in 1930 and is mostly used for freight. The Vatican City issues its own passports; the Pope, cardinals, members of the Swiss Guard and clergy being the recipients.
The entire country encompasses of a heritage site. It’s like walking through the making of the church. A pious feel of loyalty or an angry urge of betrayal, anybody is bound to feel either. Piazza di San Pietro (St Peter's Square) and the colonnade were designed and built by Bernini (completed in 1667). At 314 meters long and 240 meters wide it is the largest square in Rome. Bernini (with the help of his pupils) designed the 140 statues of saints which decorate the colonnade.
There are tons of interesting stories about the Vatican city hidden in those walls, one of them would be, as follows; It is documented that after Pope Leo came a Pope Joan.
John Anglicus, born in Mainz, was recorded as being pope for two years, seven months and four days. It is is claimed that John was in fact female.
Joan/John was taken to Athens by a lover of hers and made to conceal her identity by dressing in men's clothes. Joan was an extremely bright scholar and rose quickly in society. In Rome she rose quickly amongst learned masters and students and soon she was the choice of everyone for Pope.
While pope she became pregnant by her companion and it is said she gave birth during a procession from St Peter's Basilica to the Lateran, in a narrow lane between the Colosseum and St Clement's church. After her identity was discovered she was killed and buried in that same place.
Vatican City doesn’t have its own public transportation system – something that would doom many destinations as unfriendly to travelers. But of course the Vatican doesn’t need its own public transportation when it can so easily use Rome’s. Rome’s bus system is efficient and cheap, and it gives those unfamiliar with the city the ability to look out the window for landmarks to assist with navigation. The network of buses runs throughout the entire city, making it the most far-reaching transportation system within the city, so, you can get to the Vatican by bus from pretty much anywhere you are in Rome.
Rome’s Metro is as easy as any subway to understand, but it’s far from being the best way to get around the city. Every time they dig for a new line in Rome, they unearth a new ancient ruin – which is why Rome’s Metro is the same paltry two lines that it’s been for decades. Thankfully for those visiting the Vatican from central Rome, however, one of those lines will get you reasonably close to the Vatican.
This might sound crazy but you can walk to Vatican city as well. Assuming your starting point is on the side of the Tiber that’s home to things like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Termini Station, your first order of business is to begin heading west toward a bridge to get you across the river. There are lots of bridges that cross the Tiber, and many of them carry cars as well as pedestrians.
The prettiest bridge to walk across – partly because it’s pedestrian-only – is the one that leads directly to the Castel Sant’Angelo. It’s called, cleverly, the Ponte Sant’Angelo, or Sant’Angelo Bridge. The other nearby option is the one that leads from the big Corso Emanuele II.
