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| Location | |
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| Flag | |
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| Short | |
| Capital | Vatican CITY |
| Government | theocracy |
| Coin | euros (EUR) |
| Surface | 0.44 km2 |
| Population | 836 (2012) |
| Language | Latin (official), Italian (official) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic (100%) |
| Electricity | 230V/50Hz (European or Italian plug) |
| Call code | 39 |
| Internet TLD | .va |
| Time zone | UTC 1 |
Vatican CITY (Italian: Stato della Citta del Vaticano) is an independent state, an enclave in Italy, which is completely enclosed by the city Rome. It is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
Info
The microstate was created in 1929 and can be seen as a continuation of the Papal States. Vatican City is not a member of the European Union, but it does participate in various international organizations. Vatican City has been on the World Heritage List of the . since 1984 UNESCO.
Arrive
By plane
The Vatican can only be reached from the air by helicopter.
- Helicopters landing site.
Before arriving by plane, the Rome airports be used. There are then two international airports available:
- Fiumicino (Leonardo Da Vinci). Is the airport for the traditional scheduled services. For domestic flights (Gate A) and European (Gate B), as well as intercontinental destinations (Gate C).
- Ciampino. Former charter airport, now mainly used by low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair, which flies from Eindhoven, among other places.
By train
- Citta del Vaticano Station (Stazione Vaticana). This is the Vatican City station. However, this is not a public station and there are no scheduled trains.
- Stazione San Pietro. This station is public and is within walking distance of Vatican City. It is served by the regional railway lines FL3 and FL5.
If you want to visit the Vatican City from outside Rome by train, in most cases you will arrive in the Stazione Termini. From there you will have to look for other transport to get to Vatican City (for example by bus).
By metro
- Stazione Ottaviano. Linea A, best stop for a visit to St. Peter's.
- Stazione Cipro. Linea A, best stop to visit the Vatican Museums.
By tram
- Piazza del Risorgimento (Then follow the Via Porta Angelica). Line 19
By car
Follow Via del Plebiscito, Corso Vittorio Emanuele and then Via della Conciliazione from the center of Rome or follow Via Nazionale from Termini (station).
To enter the Vatican by car, you must be a Vatican supplier, a Vatican employee, or otherwise have permission to enter the Vatican by car. The only thing you can do next is park, because driving around inside the Vatican is almost impossible.
There are two places through which you can enter the Vatican City by car:
- Porta di Sant Anna, Via di Porta Angelica (this is the extension of the Borgo Pio . in a westerly direction).
- Porta del Perugino, Via della Stazione Vaticana (on the south side near the papal audience hall and the Vatican train station).
By bus
- Bus 64 (200 m walk to St. Peter's Square). Stop: Cavalleggeri - San Pietro (first stop after the tunnel). Bus 64 goes past Vatican City and is the easiest way of public transport to reach this destination. Beware of pickpockets though as the line has a bad reputation: so watch your stuff!
- Bus 40 (Just over 500m walk to St. Peter's Square). Stop: Piazza Pia (Castel Sant'Angelo)
- Bus 23 (250 m walk to the entrance of the museums.). Stop: Via Leone IV near the Vatican Museums.
Travel around
The area of Vatican City is so limited that everything can easily be visited on foot.
To look at
Well-known tourist attractions are (sometimes only to be visited upon prior request):
- Apostolic Palace. Some areas of the Apostolic Palace can be visited. Some of them by appointment only. The Pope's private quarters are also located here, but cannot be visited. One of the windows of the private rooms is used weekly by the Pope for his Sunday address.
- Basilica of San Pietro (Saint Peter). The holiest and most imposing church of Catholicism. A must when in Rome. Stand in line for half an hour and then enter (for free). Below on the floor are the measurements of other important churches in the world, to see how much bigger St. Peter is. It is also possible the dome (la Cupola) to climb: you can choose the elevator or the stairs, they are 551 steps. By the way, the elevator only takes you halfway. The last part can only be reached by stairs. Inside St. Peter's is also the treasury of the Vatican (Museo del Tesoro) and below the church the crypt where, among other things, the tomb of Pope John Paul II can be found. There again under the old necropolis, only on request (at Ufficio Scavi [1]) to visit. Don't forget Michelangelo's Pietá no, on the right when entering.
- Campo Santo dei Teutonico e dei Fiamminghi. This is accessible to residents of countries located on the territory of the former Holy Roman Empire, so also for Belgians and Dutch. It is located within the walls of the Vatican, but can be visited every morning, except on Sundays. The entrance is to the left of the colonnades of Sint-Pietersplein. On presentation of a Dutch or Belgian identity card, members of the Swiss Guard grant access.
- Saint Peters Square, Piazza Pio XIII. You could almost say the most famous square in the world, because this is where the Pope gives the Urbi et orbi, blessings to the whole world, at Christmas and Easter. One of the main features of this square is Bernini's colonnade.
- Sistine Chapel (Visit goes through the Vatican Museums). With Michelangelo's famous frescoes (tip: bring a mirror!), including the panel creation of man
- Vatican Museums, Viale Vaticano (From the center of St. Peter's Square, walk about 900 m along the Vatican wall). Mon-Sat 10:00-16:00. The Vatican Museums (a group of linked sights) are worth an entire day (or more) as they are huge. Admission is free every last Sunday of the month. Please note, sometimes different times due to masses or other religious reasons. It is wise to check around noon how long the line is because it is usually not that bad. Must-sees are Raphael's Stanze and Michelangelo's Last Judgment. The world-famous Sistine Chapel also belongs to this large complex, but beware, it is strictly forbidden to take pictures there. This is allowed in the rest of the museum. €16.00 for adults (€8.00 reduced rate).
- Vatican Gardens. The gardens can only be visited accompanied. On foot (2 hours): €32.00 for adults (€24.00 reduced rate). With an open bus (40 minutes): €36.00 for adults (€23.00 reduced rate). In both cases this includes entrance to the museums.
Dome of St. Peter's Basilica
Pieta di Michelangelo
Main altar St.Pieter
Stairs to the Vatican Museums
Golden Corridor Vatican Museum
Sistine Chapel
The Last Judgment- Michelangelo (Sistine Chapel)
The Creation of the Man-Sistine Chapel
Swiss Guard
Language
Official languages in Vatican City are Italian and Latin.
To buy
Vatican City uses the euro as a means of payment with an image of the Pope on it. Euro coins issued in other countries are also valid. Vatican City has its own bank, it Institute of Religious Works, which usually Vatican Bank and is currently under fire for some scandals.
Very popular with collectors are the Vatican stamps and coins, Vatican bank cards are also available through vending machines.
There are hardly any shops in Vatican City.
Food
The museums have a cafeteria/restaurant.
Going out
Don't look for worldly entertainment here.
stay overnight
There are no hotels or other accommodations for tourists in Vatican City.
To learn
The Pontifical Academies - A Pontifical Academy is an academic society of scholars that is entitled to use the designation Pontifical. There are ten Pontifical Academies, which differ from each other in terms of theme, but also in terms of design and organization. Seven of these academies come under the Roman Curia. Some academies are solely a gathering place for scholars, while others actually provide education. The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, the diplomatic academy of the Holy See, is a good example of the latter.
Pontifical Academies - under the Roman Curia - are:
- the Pontifical Academy for the Culture of the Martyrs
- the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
- the Pontifical Academy of Life
- the Pontifical Academy of Saint Thomas Aquinas (affiliated with the Pontifical Council for Culture)
- the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
- the Pontifical Theological Academy (affiliated with the Pontifical Council for Culture)
- the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
The three Academies not directly under the authority of the Curia are:
- the Pontifical Roman Academy of Archaeology
- the Pontifical Academy of Mary
- the Pontifical Academy of the Immaculate Conception
To work
Vatican City is an unlikely place to find a job for those who are not a priest in the Roman Catholic Church.
Safety and Health
The Swiss Guard is responsible for protecting the Pope and the Vatican. There is also a separate Vatican police force. For medical care, the tourist has to rely on the Italian doctors and hospitals in the city of Rome.
respect
Vatican City is the center of the Catholic faith and it goes without saying that anyone visiting this place should show respect for religion and customs.
Furthermore, it is also forbidden to enter the Vatican in shorts or in a T-shirt with short sleeves.
Contact
Letters can be sent from Vatican City, since the city-state has its own postal service that works even faster than the Italian post.
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