59 Facts About Holy See / Vatican City

The Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church and is based in Vatican City State, which is a sovereign and independent territory. Both Vatican City State and the Holy See are ruled by the Pope.

The Holy See and the Vatican City are not the same thing. The Vatican is a self-contained city-state in the heart of Rome. The Holy See (also known as the See of Rome) is a sovereign entity that is under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, also known as the Pope. The Pope is the Vatican City's head of state.

The Vatican City differs from the Holy See in that the Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church, and its headquarters are in the Vatican City. The Vatican City is located within the city of Rome.

The Holy See is a constitutional monarchy. A single person wields absolute, autocratic power in this form of government. There are only six absolute monarchies in the world. The Vatican City, Brunei, Eswatini, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, a federation of seven absolute monarchies, are among them.

The Swiss Guard, also known as the Pontifical Swiss Guard, is employed by the Holy See. These guards are in charge of protecting the Vatican, the pontifical villa of Castel Gandolfo, and the Pope.

The Swiss Guards are occasionally incorrectly referred to as the Vatican City police. The Vatican City State Gendarmerie Corps is a separately administered force. Except for St. Peter's Square, this force polices the Vatican City and the Holy See's extraterritorial properties. This is because the Italian police have jurisdiction over St. Peter's Square.

The Vatican City is home to a little more than 800 people. The Pope, who lives in the Vatican Palace, is included. It is the world's smallest state in terms of population. It is also the world's smallest state in terms of land area, with 49 hectares (121 acres).

Despite its small size, the Vatican City State is home to a wealth of art and architectural treasures. Every year, over 6 million people visit to see the sights. Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter's Square), St. Peter's Basilica, and the Vatican Museums, which include the Sistine Chapel, are among the top attractions.

Vatican City, also known as Vatican City State, is a landlocked country within Rome.

It is the world's smallest state in terms of both area and population.

Vatican City is the state's capital and largest city.

Italian is the official language.

The Euro (€) is its official currency (EUR).

It has only one neighbouring country, which is Italy.

The Vatican City - 0.44 km2 - is the world's smallest country.

The Vatican City State or State of Vatican City is the official name for the Vatican City.

It is located in the Italian city of Rome.

The Pope, the bishop of Rome, rules over the city-state.

The Vatican City was established in 1929 as a result of the Lateran Treaty signed by Italy and the Holy See.

The city is well-known for housing some of the world's most famous paintings and sculptures in cultural sites such as St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums.

The country's economy is supported by the sale of postage stamps, tourist souvenirs, museum admission fees, book sales, and so on.

The country's name was first used on February 11, 1929, when the Lateran Treaty was signed. The name of this small country was inspired by the name of the Vatican Hills.

The city's official Italian name is Stato della Citta del Vaticano.

The country's preferred languages are Italian and Latin.

Italy shares a two-mile border with Vatican City. The city is one-eighth the size of New York City's Central Park.

The country is ruled by absolute monarchy, with the Pope as the head of state.

The city-state mints its own Euro, has its own post office and telephone system, its own flag and national anthem, and issues passports and licence plates.

On behalf of King Victor Emmanuel III, Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty.

There are only two countries in the world without divorce laws. The Philippines is one, and the Vatican City is another.

The Vatican City serves as the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the residence of the Pope and ancient Roman structures.

The country's first railway station opened in 1930, shortly after its formation. However, the station is only used for freight transport, not passenger travel.

Vatican City is the world's only country that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 2007, the country chose to become carbon-neutral by agreeing to establish a forest in Hungary. However, the proposed forest's fate is unknown.

The Vatican Museums are 9 miles long and house one of the world's largest art collections, which includes a large number of paintings and sculptures. In the early 16th century, Pope Julius II established the museums.

After the Yamoussoukro Basilica in Cote d'Ivoire, St. Peter's Basilica is the world's second largest Christian Church. The church took 120 years to complete, and the dome was designed by Michelangelo. It stands 400 feet tall and has a diameter of 138 feet. The church is 18000 square yards in size.

St. Peter's Basilica is the world's largest Catholic Church.

Instead of paying taxes to the Italian government, Italians can donate 8% of their income to the Vatican City. This assists the Vatican City in meeting its expenses.

The country lacks GDP because it does not produce goods for trade.

On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II was assassinated in the Vatican City. Surprisingly, he pardoned the person who tried to murder him.

Vatican City has one of the world's highest crime rates. This is primarily due to the country's small population. However, because the crimes committed in the city are minor, many of them go unsolved. This tiny country, on the other hand, lacks a functioning prison and only has one judge. Those found guilty are simply marched to neighbouring Italy.

The city-population state's is entirely Catholic.

In Arizona, the Vatican City owns an advanced telescope.

The city's radio station broadcasts in 20 different languages.

The Swiss Guard serves as the Vatican City and Pope's official guard.

The Vatican City is not a member of the United Nations.

It is also worth noting that there is an ATM in Vatican City that can be accessed in Latin. It is thought to be the world's only ATM of its kind. The Vatican Bank is in charge of it.

Every year, the country's residents consume approximately 54 litres of wine per person.

In addition, the country has the world's shortest railway. The railway has two 300-meter-long tracks.

Every year, approximately 5.5 million visitors visit the Vatican Museum. Given the country's small size, this is a staggering figure.

There are 135 Swiss Guards in the Pope's personal army. For more than 500 years, the army has guarded the Pope.

Citizenship in the city-state is granted based on work or office location rather than birth. There are no hospitals in the country, so babies cannot be born there.

People who receive Vatican City citizenship based on their job in the country lose it when they lose their job. In such an event, they revert to their original citizenship and Italian citizenship if they do not have any other citizenship.

The city is not surrounded by a thick wall, as the majority of online sources claim. There are numerous entry points into the city, and one may only need to pass through a metal detector to gain access.

Since the sixteenth century, John Paul II has been the only non-Italian Pope. He is also the most travelled pope, having visited over 130 countries to date.

The Apostolic Palace (the Pope's official residence, also known as the Papal Palace, Palace of the Vatican, and Vatican Palace) was inaugurated on April 30, 1589.

The country's licence plates read - SCV - "Stato Citta Vaticano."

It is also the world's only country with a continuous non-hereditary monarchy.

Vatican City was founded less than a century ago. It was established in 1929.

The country also has its own football team (Vatican City national football team).