Tiny states attract the attention of tourists from all over the world. One of these is the Vatican. Everyone knows that it houses the residence of the Pope. But one can often hear the question: "Is the Vatican a city or a country?" Let it be very small, located inside another city, but a state. It has its own flag, coat of arms and coins its own coin.
General information
What is the smallest state in Europe? This is the Vatican. Its area is only 0.44 sq km. It is located inside the capital of Italy, in the city of Rome. It is often believed that the Vatican is part of Italy. But this is not so. The Vatican is a sovereign state. It got its name from the name of the hill where the country is located - "Mot Vaticanus", which means "place of fortune telling" in Latin.
The foundation time is the beginning of the 6th century. The total length of the state border is only 3.2 km. And of course, this dwarf enclave state has only one neighbor - Italy. The state religion is Catholicism. There are two official languages - Italian and Latin. The Vatican is a theocratic monarchy. The monetary unit is the euro. Until 1999, there was its own currency - the Vatican Lira.
Geography and Population
The Vatican is a miniature state located on the Vatican hill, in the western part of Rome, on the right bank of the Tiber River. Geographically, they are separated by a stone wall, which runs along almost the entire border with the capital of Italy. In fact, this is the seat of the highest governing bodies of the Roman Catholic Church. The population of the Vatican is less than a thousand people. According to official figures - 846 inhabitants. Of which only half (450 people) hold the citizenship of this country. The rest have only a residence permit, permanent or temporary.
Vatican citizenship belongs to the pope, his closest associates, cardinals, and Swiss guards. Most citizens of the Vatican constantly live outside it. This is a diplomatic staff representing the State in other countries.
It is possible to obtain Vatican citizenship, lose the right to it, and obtain a residence permit thanks to special rules. They were adopted in accordance with the Lateran Accords. You can become a subject of the Vatican only in connection with your position. Upon dismissal, citizenship is also lost. Unlike others, the Vatican is a country that issues only diplomatic passports, which are necessary for service outside its borders. Official relations are established with many other countries in which the Vatican has its offices. What country in the world can still boast that approximately half of its citizens have dual citizenship? And the Vatican can!
Government structure
A city state is an absolute theocratic monarchy. The legislative, executive and judicial power here belongs to the pope. For his election to the post, it is necessary that 2/3 cardinals speak out in support of the candidacy. If for 30 rounds it is not possible to choose the head of state, another procedure is introduced.
In the event of the death or absence of the Pope, he temporarily directs the state and current affairs of the Cameralng of the Holy Roman Church. Executive power is represented by the Supreme Church Court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Court, and the local tribunal. Law enforcement is provided by the papal guard, consisting of Swiss guards.
Flag
This state symbol of the Vatican is a square cloth. It has two vertical stripes of the same size, yellow and white. On the right side of the flag, on a white background, is the tiara of the pope, on it are two crossed keys. They symbolize the keys to Paradise and from Rome.
The Vatican flag appeared after the signing of the Lateran Accords on February 11, 1929. Then the status of the Holy See and its independence from Italy, where the Vatican is located, were officially entrenched.
Emblem
Another symbol of the state - the coat of arms - is a heraldic shield, red, English form. On it, just like on the flag of the country, a tiara and two crossed keys are depicted.
It is symbolic that the so-called small coat of arms, which is used by diplomatic missions and papal institutions, is widespread in the Vatican. These are the same crossed keys and tiara, symbolizing the Catholic Church and the throne of the Pope, but not in the shield, and not behind it.
It is interesting that the coat of arms during the transfer of power from the deceased Pope to his successor is divided. The tiara image is used to accompany the funeral procession, and the keys go to the cardinal's receiver. Instead of a tiara on his coat of arms is a red and gold canopy. Such a symbol was approved in the 16th century. Then the gold and silver key, connected by a red cord, was called "permissive" and "knitting." They symbolized the right of the Apostle Peter to resolve all issues of the church and transfer this right to the heirs.
History
The modern Vatican appeared on the world map in 1929. What was here before this time? A bit of Vatican hill history.
The ancient Romans did not build anything on these lands, neither cities, nor settlements, considering them saints. And in the time of the emperor Claudius, circus games were held here. The beginning of the history of the Vatican is considered 326 year. Then, during the spread of Christianity in Europe, at the site of the alleged burial of the Apostle Peter, the majestic Basilica of Constantine was erected. By the 8th century, numerous settlements were built here, which occupied a significant part of the Apennine Peninsula. These territories are united in the state - the Vatican. But in 1870 it came under the rule of the Italian kingdom. And only in 1929 Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Accords, which vested the Vatican with sovereignty, and he received a modern device and borders.
Tourism
The Vatican is a tiny corner of the world, but it attracts a huge number of believers from all over the planet like a magnet. There are lovers of "ticks" - to visit the smallest state in the world.
The Vatican is a church country. There are neither workers nor peasants, because the state does not produce anything, there is no agriculture in it either. It exists solely thanks to tourists and donations.
The miniature European state is located on the Vatican Hill and consists of papal palaces, gardens, about 30 houses, St. Peter's Basilica and the square in front of it. But this is what attracts tourists. It is worth noting that there are no hotels in the Vatican, and all visitors live in nearby hotels in the capital of Italy.
Entrance to the territory of the dwarf state is possible only through the 6 gates that connect Rome with the Vatican. Interestingly, this tiny state is considered the most "criminal" in the whole world. On its small territory, there are as many thefts as in the whole of millions of Rome. For every Vatican citizen, there are about 3 offenses. But in fact, they are visiting tourists. Even despite the efforts of 700 police officers, the crime rate is very high.
sights
What can surprise and interest travelers to the Vatican?
- Saint Paul's Cathedral. This is the main attraction and the main Catholic church of the whole world. They began to build it back in 324, at the site of the alleged burial place of the Apostle Peter. In the 15th century a grandiose building was built here. This is the heart of the Vatican and the entire Catholic world. The great Raphael and Michelangelo worked on it. Amazing decoration inside the Cathedral. And it can accommodate a huge number of people - 18,000. The area in front of the cathedral has a unique keyhole shape.
- The Sistine Chapel. A unique monument of history and architecture. It was built on the site of a dilapidated and sagging chapel for Pope Sixtus IV, hence its name. Externally, the building has a very modest, unremarkable appearance. But inside, its decoration is amazing. The chapel gained popularity due to the painting of the walls, on which such masters as Botticelli, Pinturicchio and Michelangelo worked. It is here that the meetings of cardinals are held, who, after the death of the current pope, elect a new one.
- Apostolic Library. An amazing cultural monument. In addition to the beautiful design of the building, its value in a huge collection of manuscripts and manuscripts of the Middle Ages. For tourists, only a small part of the library is open.
- Pinacoteca in the Vatican
- Museum Pius Clementino
- Vatican Gardens
- Egyptian Museum
- Rafael's stanzas.
It turns out that such a small country of the Vatican - this is where not only the Catholic curia is located - here are concentrated cultural, historical and architectural monuments of the whole world. Getting into it, one no longer asks the question: "Is the Vatican a state or not?" There is a special atmosphere that is not found anywhere else in the world.
Interesting facts in the end
The place where the Vatican is located is marked by amazing and unique features at every turn. Here are just some of them.
- St. Petra - listed in the Book of Records as the largest Catholic church in the world.
- Vatican citizenship cannot be inherited. It can be earned by labor of the Holy See. After the termination of labor activity, citizenship is canceled.
- In the afternoon in the Vatican more than 3 thousand people are people who come to work.
The city-state has its own emblem, flag, constitution, radio station, postal service, daily newspaper "Losservatore romano", its own station and railway, 275 m long.
There is 1 school, 1 prison and 1 radio station. Diplomatic relations have been established with 174 countries, but due to the limited size of their representative offices in the Vatican, they are located in Italy.
Pope buried in the dungeon of St. Peter's Basilica.