You are here: Home > Vatican State

Vatican State (Vatican City).

Informations regarding the Vatican State.

The Vatican State (or Vatican City) is a state under the authority of the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church (Absolute Monarchy) and it is the smallest independent state in the world. It has a very small surface with only 890 inhabitants and it is inside the urban centre of Rome.

The official currency is the euro, just like in Italy, and its territory has been under the powers of the Italian Police since the Laterano Treaty of 1929.

History of the Vatican State.

On February 11, 1929 the Italian government formally recognized the Vatican State, with the Lateranesi Pacts, putting an end to the long dispute between the state and the Church who saw the Papal State annexed to the Reign of Italy.

Geographical and political data of the Vatican.

The state is totally surrounded by medieval walls and inside them there are the Vatican Gardens and the Governatorato (the Vatican's equivalent of a City Hall).

The function of the Vatican State is to allow the Holy See's activities, always neutral and foreign to any conflicts of the nations. Only cardinals and few others- who work there or have certain charges or are authorized by the Pope- live in Vatican State.

Art in Vatican State.

The Vatican is full of works of art, mostly created by numerous great artists who throughout the centuries have been appointed by the various Popes who have followed one another in the State, some of these are Michelangelo, Bernini and Bramante. The fabulous Vatican Apostolic Library must be mentioned, here thousands of ancient and precious manuscripts and bounded texts are kept. The Sistine Chapel is something everyone should see at least once in life, Michelangelo's frescoes are contained here and there are also the Vatican rooms with Raffaello's frescoes.

   Great Artists

• Michelangelo

   Sections

• Medioevo

   Official web sites

• Istitutions