The Vatican is the most famous but not the only one. My dad guards my dad or how family people live in the Vatican

Catholics have their own state - a city where His Holiness rules. A tiny enclave in the heart of Rome and at the same time the administrative and spiritual center of Roman Catholicism and the smallest independent state in the world.

- an immense complex, built over centuries and since 1377 it has become the residence of the Popes. Nicholas V expanded the original ancient center (1450); Sixtus IV built the Sistine Cappella (Cappella Sistina) (1473); Alexander VI- Borgia; Julius I ordered a courtyard with terraces to be made in Bramante; Leo X built the Raffaello Lodge (Logge di Raffaello); Paul III invited Antonio Sangallo to work on Paul's Cappella Paolina and the main hall (sala Regia); Sixtus V installed a fountain in front of St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro) and the Library; Urban VIII Bernini began building the Scala Regia. Finally, Clement XIV turned the palace of Innocent III into a Museum, and Gregory XIV founded the Museums of Egyptian and Etruscan History (Musei Egizio ed Etrusco).

The Vatican has its own post office, its own currency, its own daily newspaper, radio station and railway station (used today only for the transport of goods), and in addition to its own army, a special Swiss regiment dedicated to the personal security of the Pope.

The state remains attractive to tourists from all over the world, history and art lovers. If you take into account all its property and all the works of art per unit area, it can perhaps be called the richest country in the world.

The founding of the city-state occurred thanks to the legal preconditions created by the so-called Lateran agreements, or Concordat signed February 11, 1929 Italy represented Mussolini and the papal throne in the person of the cardinal Pietro Gasparria, who signed with a gold pen, consecrated Pope Pius XI: After 59 years, Italy and the Vatican became two independent states and put an end to cold war, unleashed in 1870 by the entry into Rome of the troops of Vittorio Emanuele II, when the Pope, protected by his own armed forces, barricaded himself within the walls of the Vatican.

Papal Army

With the disappearance of the Papal State and the dissolution of its troops, military forces had to be distributed to protect the Pope and an area of ​​440,000 square meters, of which 55,000 under the Apostolic Palace (Palazzo Apostolico) and about 25,000 under dozens of courtyards and squares, including St. Peter's Square . In 1970, the troops were specifically divided into two parts: the Swiss Guard and the Pontifical Gendarmerie.

Swiss Papal Regiment

Founded a Swiss regiment in the service of the Vatican Julius II in 1506 to involve him in his wars with Italy. The number of members has changed over time: for example, Pius IX recruited two regiments for missions in 1859-1879. Long story papal troops are distinguished by exceptional faith in the person of the Pope: in 1527, the Swiss sacrificed themselves in the face of the troops of Charles V to secure the flight of Clement VII (1523-1534) to Castel Sant'Angelo along the corridor of Alexander VI (1492-1503 ). This fortified corridor connecting to the castle is still preserved.

The corps consists of a commander-in-chief - colonel, 3 officers, 4 non-commissioned officers, 14 sergeants and 51 privates, who live in a barracks at the exit from the Porta di Sant'Anna. They directly protect the Pope, his residence and are present at all papal chapels. Guardsmen voluntarily come to serve and sign a contract for 2 years. These are mainly natives of the German cantons and about a dozen more French-speaking Swiss from Vallese or Friburgo. According to the contract, if you perform well, you can get a promotion; To become a corporal, it will take from 5 to 7 years. In total there are 5 corporals, 4 sergeants and 1 senior sergeant in the corps. To become an officer, you need to serve in the Swiss army. The commander-in-chief has the rank of colonel; this position was recently held by Franz Pfeiffer Von Altischofen, then by Roland Buchs, then in the 90s by Aloys Estermann.

The Swiss Guard is famous for its blue and orange striped uniform, which, according to legend, was designed by Michelangelo himself. They may also wear a more formal uniform, blue with a white collar and a large beret. For major ceremonies, they wear luxurious cuirasses and moroni (16th-century Spanish-style helmets), some of which actually date back several centuries.

Papal Gendarmerie

When the papal gendarmerie was made a Guard Corps, the commandant was Camillo Chibin, and his two assistants, at that time they were called adjutants, Giusto Antoniazzi and Raoul Bonarelli. Under their command there were 100 people, including 8 officers. Candidates had to be no older than 25 years old, no shorter than 1.75 m, and have previously served in the army. For the first two years they must be single and live in a barracks within the Vatican; After this time, you can already get married and live outside the city.

They serve in 48-hour shifts, checking people entering the city and the Vatican gardens, where there are constant patrols. There are also stationary posts throughout the city, at the train station, the helicopter station, at the governorate, the caves of the Lords (grotte di Lourdes), Museums, shops of Annona (magazzini dell’Annona), as well as at two gatehouses where people seeking an audience find themselves. They are thoroughly checked there.

The police of the Papal Gendarmerie have worn blue uniforms and berets since Christmas 1983, much more comfortable than those that came before them. They are engaged in the prevention and protection of people and property, are well trained and armed with Beretta 7.65. The Commander-in-Chief of the Corps works in close contact with the senior officials of the General Inspectorate for Civil Security of Italy, which is spelled out in the Lateran Agreements.

St. Peter's Basilica

The best approach to St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro) is from St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro), surrounded by a 17th-century oval colonnade. by Bernini (284 columns and 88 pilasters in 4 rows), divided into two pavilions. In the center of it are two fountains and an obelisk, near which one can observe a special optical effect of the brilliant Bernini: it seems that two round stones on the floor, from which the arcade rises, form one line with a quadruple row of columns. From here you can see the Basilica, with a facade reminiscent of Maderno and a magnificent dome in the spirit of Michelangelo. Four large bronze doors (the fifth opens only on the Jubilee) lead into a space that is difficult to see. Only being at the junction of the naves, at the Baldachin of Peter (Baldacchino di Pietro), also by Bernini, one can appreciate the real size of the church. In the first chapel of the nave is “Mercy” (Pietà) by Michelangelo.

Museums

The unique style can also be seen in the richest in the world: more than 70,000 exhibits and another 50,000 in the archives. Therefore, we recommend choosing an organized excursion: this way you will definitely not miss anything worthwhile.

There are a lot of things to see here. For example, the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina), painted by Michelangelo (“ Last Judgment"(Giudizio Universale) and other biblical motifs). The painting process lasted twenty years, and one can understand and feel the flight of the master’s soul. The next obligatory stage is the Raphael Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello), which are examples of 16th-century classicism, begun by the artist himself and completed by his students. The Descent from the Cross (Deposizione dalla Croce) by Caravaggio is also worth seeing.

The rest of the Vatican palaces are closed to the public or there are special tours there, so one can only guess what is hidden behind their doors. Instead, there is a great opportunity to visit the gardens with fountains and statues, which occupy 50% of the state's territory.

Information about tickets and opening hours: waiting time is longer from spring to autumn (almost 30 minutes), less in winter.

Schedule and prices: Entrance to the Basilica is free (opening hours: 7-18:30 or 19 from April to September; Entrance to the Grottoes closes an hour earlier). To go up to the dome, there is an entrance fee (7 or 5 euros), opening hours: 8-17 (in summer until 18).

Grottoes

Under the Basilica lies another, mysterious and majestic one. There is a large necropolis where Pope Pius XII excavated and discovered the tomb of St. Peter in the last century. When construction of the basilica began, this area was covered with a layer of earth, so it was perfectly preserved.

You can go down to the Grottoes on an organized excursion, which must be booked in advance. The Swiss Guards will show you where to go. The guide will show and tell you about the richly decorated mausoleums, sarcophagi and chapels. The tour ends right under the dome of the basilica: here is the tomb of St. Peter. The whole thing takes about 1.5 hours, and on the way back they briefly show the graves of the last popes.

Gardens

A visit to the gardens will definitely lift your spirits. They were planted in the most ancient part by the will of Nicholas III in 1279 on the occasion of the change of residence of the popes (from Laterano to). Then they expanded and reached 44 hectares. Exotic and Mediterranean plants grow in the parks, and there are many lush flower beds that fill the air with their aroma. The walk will be enlivened by wonderful fountains, one of which is shaped like a sailboat, which shoots jets of water from the muzzles of cannons.

You can enter through the Porta Sant'Anna, which is usually shown on television, parallel to the street leading to the Porta Angelica, and see many attractive things usually available only to the indigenous inhabitants. It is worth asking the Swiss to take you to the Roman Observatory (Osservatore Romano), from where you can observe and even take photos of the papal assembly. If you walk along the street to the right, you will see the main fortress tower of Nicholas V, inside which is the IOR, the Vatican bank.

Pope - indulgences and blessings

To learn all about the Pope, you can visit. From there you can download a request form to the Papal Prefecture (Prefettura Pontificia) (tel. 06 69883017), for free participation in the General Audience on Wednesday morning. Having received the ticket, you must send it by mail or fax to 06 69885863, with plenty of time before the Audience date. It will be sent back the day before the visit. Another way is to make a request to the Church of St. Susanna (Chiesa di Santa Susanna), office of the American Catholic Church (Chiesa Cattolica Americana), filling out the form on their website santasusanna.org/popeVatican/tickets.html.

You can also call the Apostolic Office of Pontifical Blessings (Ufficio Apostolico delle Benedizioni Papali) from Monday to Saturday, tel. 06 69883135, which will tell you how to receive a blessing from the Pope, but this is only for marriages (or anniversaries), confirmations and baptisms. Indulgences are granted only by special occasions(removal of guilt through repentance). One such occasion is the Jubilee, or Holy Year, every 25 years (the last one was in 2000), during which the Pope distributes Plenary Indulgences to the faithful, in accordance with accepted traditions.

The city-state has about 1,000 inhabitants on just 110 hectares, but has a multi-million dollar budget and rich history. Only a deep analysis of its history and life “behind the scenes” will help you understand how it works...

Exorcisms and the eternal struggle against the devil

Baudelaire once said: “The greatest misconception about the devil that man could invent was to convince the world that he does not exist.” In modern times in the Vatican, the devil is considered alive and very active.

The late Pope John Paul II personally performed at least three exorcisms during his reign, and Pope Benedict XVI spread the practice throughout the world. Father Gabriel Amorth, the Church's chief exorcist, conducts over 300 exorcisms a year out of his Vatican office, and in Italy alone there are approximately 350 exorcists working on behalf of the Catholic Church. Amorth teaches bishops how to distinguish between Satanic possession and mental illness.

High crime state

With 1.5 crimes per inhabitant, it has the highest crime rate in the world. Of course, these are not cardinals putting on masks and going to rob banks, just massive crowds of tourists - perfect place for street thefts. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that there is only one judge in the city.

Crimes that the Vatican has the opportunity to deter are theft of goods in stores, especially in duty-free stores - they are often solved by timely access to surveillance cameras at the entrances to these establishments. But not all crimes are just thefts. In 2007, he issued the first verdict in a drug case: cocaine was found in a drug addict’s desk.

Secret Confessional Tribunal

Some sins are too great for a mere bishop to forgive. While priests can absolve sins such as murder, there are five specific sins that require the convening of an Apostolic Court of the Church. This secret tribunal has convened many times, but it was only in January 2009 that its members first covered their meeting in the press to talk about their work. Three of the five sins were brought to trial.

If a priest violates the secret of confession, accepts confession from his sexual partner, or a person who was directly involved in an abortion wants to become a priest, such cases are considered by the tribunal. Two more sins can apply to anyone: desecrating the sacrament and attempting to kill the Pope.

The meetings of the Church's Apostolic Court are held in secret, the accused appears under a pseudonym, and only the Supreme Confessor, Cardinal Manuel Monteiro De Castro, decides how to present the sin.

The Pope's mail can be read

Some of the Vatican's secret archives have become not so secret. Pope Leo XIII was the first to allow access to the Archives to certain scholars in 1881. They are also available today. Visitors are free to view the correspondence of any pope over the past 1,000 years, with just one caveat: you need to know exactly what to look for. There are endless shelves in the archives, and librarians prohibit choosing at random: you must make a specific request.

The Vatican is socially active

During his tenure, Pope Benedict XVI regularly sent texts of his sermons to mobile phone users around the world, and in 2009 he opened his official YouTube channel, where papal addresses and various ceremonies are broadcast. also released a multilingual iPhone application with a prayer book. From latest news: Benedict appeared on Twitter in December, two months before his resignation. The Vatican's technological enthusiasm is not limited to phones and the Internet. Solar panels have been installed on the roof of the Pope Paul VI Hall as a sign of the fight against climate change.

Interesting facts about the popes

Papa Wojtyla: the most beloved

Many believers believed that Karol Wojtyła should be canonized immediately after his death, but the process of canonization cannot unfold so quickly. The reason is the need to write a report for a period of 55 years, as explained by psychiatrist Wanda Poltavska, a compatriot and confidant of the pope since her youth. The authorities of the Assembly for the Causes of the Saints are checking that there are no obscene cases.

This does not in the least affect his popularity, now even greater than that of John XXIII, because, being an excellent speaker who goes beyond the usual canons, he easily wins the hearts of believers, especially young people. In his very first address on October 16, 1978, the pope said the phrase: “correct me if I’m wrong,” proving the spontaneity of his speech, inspiring the confidence of those present in a foreign pope (this had not happened for about 450 years). Wojtyła was a wonderful, multifaceted character, ready to secretly organize a theater company in his youth; he also practiced skiing and rowing; was an adamant defender of Catholic norms and an ardent opponent of communism, which was evident during the collapse of the Soviet bloc.

In his travels, he loved meeting people and always put them first. For 27 years he made 104 apostolic trips throughout to the globe and 146 within Italy. How the Bishop of Rome visited 317 of the 332 churches in the capital. During 1,160 audiences on Wednesdays, he blessed more than 17 million believers, and, of course, much more throughout his entire career.

Daddy at home Savoy

The only case in history. Amedeo VIII of Savoy was pope and was king. To be precise, he was neither a pope nor a king. He was a Duke of Savoy, not a king (which is why Amedeo VIII ruled without a crown). After the death of his wife, he transferred the title to his son Louis and went into religious life, settling as a hermit. This event coincided with the non-recognition of Pope Eugene IV by the cardinals. The Duke was chosen by the Pope and given the name Felix V. For ten years he replaced the present Pontiff.

Dad was a woman

John VIII was pope from 872 to 882. He was energetic, had many enemies (both external and internal), who plotted against him in every possible way. He was killed by his own relative, who was in cahoots with the enemies of the pope.

And, according to legend, it was in fact a woman: Pope Joan, whose portrait is not in the Vatican palaces, but on playing cards. Again, according to legend, during the procession the pope, who was pregnant, had a miscarriage and was stoned. This explains the custom for her successors, immediately after their election, to sit on a chair with a hole, through which the deacon determines the authenticity of the new pontiff and announces: “testiculos habet!” (“there are eggs”).

Celebrations in Rome: Pope dies of indigestion

Venetian nobleman Pietro Barbo became pope in the 15th century. and received the name Paul I. Cheerful by nature and quite liberal in his views, he often organized grandiose national holidays. The time of his reign was remembered for lush carnivals, considerable libations, dinners in squares, etc.

Dad died unexpectedly; someone says they were poisoned. Someone - from overeating. In the evening he ate - alone - two huge melons.

Columbus - dad's son

Pope Innocent VIII had eight children. Francesco and Teodorina were public figures and often visited their father at court. The names of the remaining children are unknown, but they say that one of them was Christopher Columbus. With the help of his dad, he received the necessary financial support for the expedition to America.

The Vatican is the smallest state in the world, both in area and in number of inhabitants. But this small corner, comfortably located in the capital of Italy, hides many secrets and interesting facts, which only a few people know about.

The Vatican has special license plates for cardinals and the pope. The Holy See uses Latin in documents, and we even find inscriptions in this language on ATMs. But these are not the most interesting secrets. It is much more interesting to know that:

1. The Vatican is the most drinking country peace

The Vatican State has the highest level of wine consumption per capita. The average adult drinks more than 54 liters of wine per year. But this does not mean that the Vatican, led by the Pope, are all complete alcoholics. All the wine goes to the communion of tourists and believers, and the wine is drunk as part of this Catholic rite.

The National Catholic Reporter writes that the residents of the Vatican are mostly elderly men with higher education. It is also important that food consumption occurs in large groups, which can also help increase the amount of wine you drink. The next largest alcohol consumption countries in the world are Andorra, Croatia, Slovenia and France.

2. The Vatican is the country of the shortest railway

Railroad tracks and a train station were built at the Vatican during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI. This fact would not be so well known if it were not for the fact that this road became the shortest national railway network in the world.

3. The Vatican is a champion for tourists

The number of inhabitants in the Vatican is only about 800 people. But the audiences of the Pope, temples, sacred places and visits of famous personalities make the Vatican a place that ranks first in terms of the number of tourists in the world per capita. More than 5.5 million people visit the Vatican annually, so taking into account the ratio of local residents to tourists, it becomes clear that the Vatican is where greatest number tourists per person living here permanently - 6875 tourists per Vatican resident per year.

4. The Vatican has its own currency that circulates throughout the European Union

The Vatican and Italy signed an agreement in 2000 allowing the Holy See to use the euro as its official currency, but the Vatican has the right to mint its own coin with the image of the current pope.

Since 2002, Vatican euros have been legal tender in both the Vatican and Italy. The coins can be distributed freely throughout the euro area.

They are similar to regular euros, only they have the Pope on them. The first series of coins represented John Paul II.

5. The Vatican is the most militaristic country in the world

We are talking, of course, not about the number of armed forces, but about their ratio to the civilian population. The Swiss Guard, which protects the pope, has formally existed since the 16th century. On January 22, 1506, Pope Julius II brought 150 Swiss mercenaries to the Vatican. Why the Swiss? They are considered brave, disciplined and loyal soldiers. Today the Pope's army numbers 110 soldiers. The commander holds the rank of colonel and holds the title of Nobleman of His Holiness. Guard soldiers must be Catholic and Swiss. John Paul II joked many years ago that he lived in the most militarized state in the world. Approximately every tenth Vatican citizen is a soldier of the Swiss Guard. They are armed with pistols, machine guns and ... halberds, these are the traditional weapons of the Pope's guards, who wear not modern khaki, but the traditional yellow-blue-striped outfit of the 16th century.

6. The Vatican stands on telescopes

In 1576, Pope Gregory XII ordered the construction of a tower, which was to be used for astronomical observations. The Tower of the Winds still stands today, and it was thanks to it that the last reform of the calendar was carried out.

Vatican telescopes are located in different places. In 1980, the University of Arizona in Tuscon established Working group VORG (Vatican Observatory Research Group). Then there is the state-of-the-art VATT telescope at nearby Mount Graham.

The Vatican holds an Astronomy School every two years for students from all over the world.

7. Vatican Post is the most popular post office in the world

The Vatican's postal service is considered one of the best in the world. More mail is sent from your local postcode than anywhere else in the world.

During the year, the Vatican Post sends about 2.5 million letters, 7 million postcards and about 20 thousand parcels. The Post Office issues its own postage stamps, which are highly valued in the world of philately.

8. The Vatican does not stamp your passport.

The Vatican does not offer the opportunity to document a visit to the country with a special stamp. In the Vatican we will not receive stamps for our international passports even for a fee, unlike most small countries of the Old Continent. This seriously upsets tourists and those who like to collect stamps and visas.

9. No one is born a Vatican citizen

Theoretically, it is possible to give birth in the Vatican, although there are no hospitals in the Vatican. Citizenship is only awarded to those who work here. Local priests also enjoy such privileges.

10. The only state entirely on the UNESCO list

Given the high historical value and cultural significance, as well as the millions of tourists arriving annually in the Vatican, this entire state was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

Exactly 86 years ago, on February 11, 1929, the government of Benito Mussolini and the Holy See signed the Lateran Agreements, granting the Vatican independence from Italy.

February 11, 1929. Benito Mussolini and Pope Pius XI signed the Lateran Agreements, which gave the Vatican its independence. The Holy See recognized Italy's right to own the territory of the former Papal States, Italy, in turn, recognized the pope's right to own the Vatican City and paid him significant financial compensation

The territory of the Vatican is 44 hectares, which is comparable to the ground part of the Gorky Central Park of Culture and Culture in Moscow (44.7 hectares). The length of the border is 3.2 kilometers. As of 2014, the population of the city-state was 842 people

The Vatican does not have an airport, which is not surprising given such a small area. But there is a helipad and Railway 852 meters long, which connects the station at St. Peter's Basilica with the Italian railway network. Also, the enclave city does not have its own cellular operator, and the functions of the bank are performed by the Institute of Religious Affairs. Vatican ATMs are the only ones in the world that can “communicate” in Latin

The modest size of the Vatican state has given rise to many oddities and paradoxes. For example, diplomats accredited in the city-state are forced to stay on Italian territory due to lack of space. Thus, the Italian diplomatic mission in the Vatican is actually located in Italy itself

Another paradox is that a microstate populated entirely by Catholics often leads in the rankings of the most criminal countries. The reason for this is tourists. About 50 thousand people visit the Vatican every day. In 2011, approximately 1,300 civil and 170 criminal cases were filed in the city-state. In 2006, the Vatican became the most criminal country in the world. According to statistics, 1.5 crimes were committed per citizen in the enclave. In Russia at that time, one crime was committed for every 50 citizens

However, the Holy See cannot expel all tourists and rid the country of Catholics of crime. Since the Vatican does not produce or sell anything, one of the main sources of income for the state is tourism. The second main source is donations. The state budget amounts to 310 million US dollars, which is entirely managed by the Vatican government

If marriages are made in heaven, then the Vatican is perhaps further from heaven than any other country. Over the entire history of the state, 150 marriages took place on its territory. No children are born in the Vatican. However, “Vaticans” are not born, but become. Citizens of the state are clergy, the laity are Swiss Guards and several other people. You can also become a “Vatican” by liking the pope. For example, having suffered for the faith. The passport of a Vatican citizen is equivalent to a diplomatic one

1. The Vatican is the smallest state in the world. Its area is only 44 hectares. However, the country prints its own postage stamps, issues passports and license plates, and has its own flag and anthem.
2. The Vatican is an enclave state: it is located entirely within the territory of another country. The length of the Vatican's state border with Italy is 3.2 km.
3. Vatican citizenship is only granted to those who are public service, – ministers of the Holy See and representatives of the Swiss Guard of the Pope. According to the Lateran Agreement of 1929, if a person ceases to be a citizen of the Vatican, he is automatically granted Italian citizenship.

Express information on the country

Vatican – a dwarf enclave state within the territory of Rome, associated with Italy.

Capital – Vatican

Form of government– Absolute theocratic monarchy

Pope– Francis

Religion– Catholicism

Territory– 0.44 km 2 (279th in the world)

Population– 842 people (244th in the world)

official languages– Italian, Latin

Currency– euro

4. 95% of Vatican residents are men. In total, about 840 people live in the country.

5. At Vatican ATMs, you can choose Latin for transactions. The country's only bank is called the Institute of Religious Affairs.

6. The Vatican has its own football team. It consists of members of the armed forces, members of the papal council and curators of local museums. True, the Vatican team is not a member of FIFA.

7. Vatican City residents drink more wine than any other country in the world: an average of 105 bottles per year.

8. The Vatican has one of the most high levels crime in the world. Most often, tourists and hired workers from Italy engage in sinful acts.

9. There is not a single airport in the Vatican. There is one helipad and an 852m long railway linking the station at St Peter's Basilica with the main Italian network.

10. The main sources of income for the Vatican are donations from Catholics from all over the world and tourism.

11. It is extremely rare for marriages and children to be born in the Vatican. Although in 2014, Pope Francis married 20 couples who were living “in sin.” Some of them already had children at that time.

12. The Vatican Apostolic Library is one of the richest in the world. It houses the most extensive collection of manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The library's holdings include about 1.6 million printed books and 150 thousand manuscripts.

13. The literacy rate in Vatican City is 100%.

14. In the Vatican you can buy a souvenir calendar with images of the most attractive Catholic priests. The works belong to the Italian photographer Piero Pazzi. The cost of Calendario Romano is 10 euros.

15. The Vatican officially recognized that the Earth revolves around the Sun only in 1992. John Paul II gave a speech in which he recognized Galileo as a brilliant physicist and expressed regret that the theologians who condemned the scientist adhered too literally to the text of Holy Scripture.

The Vatican is the smallest country in the world, but it is independent and sovereign. However, the Vatican can always be found on political map peace. Look for the capital of Italy, Rome; it is in its western part that the city-state is located.

44 hectares of area and just under a thousand people, but the sphere of influence is the whole world! The theocratic monarchy, headed by the Pope, was formed on February 11, 1929 by the Lutheran Agreement between the Roman Catholic Church and the Italian authorities.

Each of the buildings is a landmark. It is safe to call the Vatican the largest open-air museum, although it is only a few streets and two squares. The entire city is surrounded by a wall, which cannot be seen only by standing in the central square of St. Petra.

Vatican citizens are divided into two categories: ministers of the Holy See and the Pope's personal Swiss Guard. Citizenship cannot be inherited, and upon retirement it is taken away. If a person ceases to be a citizen of the Vatican and does not have the citizenship of any other state, he is granted Italian citizenship.

But the Vatican has its own passports, currency, press, stamps, football teams, coat of arms, flag, anthem, bank and even an internet server. Speaking of football teams: they are named after the players’ place of work - “Bank”, “Guardsmen”, “Telemail”, “Museum Team”.

The map of the Vatican (and there is one) contains 78 names. It is worth noting that there is a “Sports Street” on it, which is actually a small path leading to the only sports facility in the country - a tennis court.

The smallest country in the world has only 2 types of armed forces: the Papal Gendarmerie and the Swiss Guard. The Gendarmerie performs police functions, and the Swiss Guard is not subordinate to anyone except the Holy See.

The Vatican does not have a national language, but it has its own radio station broadcasting on 20 different languages Worldwide.

There is no agriculture in the country.

The Vatican railway line is only 700 meters long. Air transport is a little more developed - it has its own helipad, the Vatican Heliport.

The Vatican Library is one of the largest libraries in the world in terms of the content of manuscripts and manuscripts.

In 1983, the Vatican became the only country where not a single child was born.

The Pope is elected by the cardinals for a life term and all branches of power are concentrated in his hands. As of January 2015, the Catholic Church had a total of 266 popes.

The Vatican has a non-profit planned economy. That is, the sources of state income are primarily donations from Catholics around the world, tourism and the sale of souvenirs. The country's annual budget is estimated at approximately $310 million. Despite this, the profit received exceeds it by 100 percent.

The Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with 174 countries of the world, in which it is represented by papal ambassadors (nuncios). The Vatican is also a member of the 15 international organizations, including WHO, WTO, UNESCO, OSCE and FAO.