ABOUT VATICAN CITY AND MUST-VISITS IN VATICAN CITY
The Vatican City is the smallest country in the world (0.44 km²)[4] and it is an enclave of Italy because it is surrounded by the city of Rome. It was created as country on 11 February 1929, with the "Patti Lateranensi" (Lateran Agreement orTreaty), was signed by Benito Mussolini and Pope Pius XI. It is very small, but very important because it is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Head of State is the Pope, now Benedict XVI, former cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, elected on 19 April 2005, after Pope John Paul II's 26 years of Papacy. It is also important for its culture and art. The Vatican's masterpieces are known by everybody in the world: St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museums and the Apostolic Palace, where the Pope lives. There are also hundreds of other sculptures and pictures.
History:The Pope used to rule the Papal States. This used to cover all of Central Italy. Popes had always tried to stop Italy becoming one country because they might lose their control of the Papal States. In 1861 Italy was unified under the King of Savoy, but Rome and Latium remained unconquered. Only on 20 September 1870 the Italian troops invaded and beat the Papal troops. Rome became capital of the new kingdom.
The Pope said he was a prisoner of the Italian state and excommunicated all the people who helped invade his state. This stopped Catholics from taking part in public life.
In 1929 Benito Mussolini decided to sign an agreement with the Holy See, called the Lateran Treaty, which created the Vatican State. Another treaty gave the Vatican money each year to compensate for the lost territories.
The Head of State is the Pope, now Benedict XVI, former cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, elected on 19 April 2005, after Pope John Paul II's 26 years of Papacy. It is also important for its culture and art. The Vatican's masterpieces are known by everybody in the world: St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museums and the Apostolic Palace, where the Pope lives. There are also hundreds of other sculptures and pictures.
History:The Pope used to rule the Papal States. This used to cover all of Central Italy. Popes had always tried to stop Italy becoming one country because they might lose their control of the Papal States. In 1861 Italy was unified under the King of Savoy, but Rome and Latium remained unconquered. Only on 20 September 1870 the Italian troops invaded and beat the Papal troops. Rome became capital of the new kingdom.
The Pope said he was a prisoner of the Italian state and excommunicated all the people who helped invade his state. This stopped Catholics from taking part in public life.
In 1929 Benito Mussolini decided to sign an agreement with the Holy See, called the Lateran Treaty, which created the Vatican State. Another treaty gave the Vatican money each year to compensate for the lost territories.
MUST-VISITS
- St. Peter's
-Sistine Chapel
-Vatican Museum
-Vatican Garden
-Sistine Chapel
-Vatican Museum
-Vatican Garden