Vatican City

Welcome to Vatican City, the world's smallest independent state. Spanning a mere 44 hectares, or roughly 0.17 square miles, this tiny enclave is a sovereign country within the borders of Rome. …

To understand why Vatican City exists as a separate nation, we must look to the Lateran Treaty of 1929. This critical agreement between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See formalized the borders we see today and established the…

Over half of Vatican City's land area is occupied by the Vatican Gardens, a lush expanse that serves as a site of spiritual meditation and active recreation for the Pope and his staff. These gardens are divided into distinct…

Deep within the Vatican lies one of the most intriguing repositories of human history: the Vatican Apostolic Archives, formerly known as the 'Secret Archives.' Renamed by Pope Francis in 2019 to dispel myths of hidden…

Vatican City may be small, but it possesses the infrastructure of a modern city. Did you know it has its own gas station? …

As you move toward the northern gates, you will encounter the Swiss Guard, the smallest and oldest standing army in the world. Established in 1506 by Pope Julius II, this elite unit is tasked with the personal protection of the…

Stretching nearly a kilometer from the Vatican to Castel Sant'Angelo is a fortified elevated corridor known as the Passetto di Borgo. Built in the 13th century, this was the Pope's 'insurance policy'—a secret escape route for…

Behind the monumental facades, Vatican City offers the 'day-to-day essentials' of urban life. There is a supermarket—the 'Annona'—where items are roughly one-third cheaper than in Italy because they are exempt from taxes. …

As we conclude our tour of Vatican City, I hope you have gained a sense of the 'epic scale' and 'intimate detail' of this unique state. We have moved from the elliptical embrace of St. …