Vatican City (or Holy See) — formally State of the Vatican City, or Vatican City State (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano, Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae) — is a tiny sovereign state whose territory consists of a landlocked enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. Since it is governed by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, its government can be described as ecclesiastical and the highest state functionaries are in fact clerics. The modern-day home of the popes, it is the smallest independent nation state in the world in terms of area and population (that is if that of the Knights Hospitaller is not counted as a country). It is the territorial seat of the Holy See, the institutional entity represented by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, and hence the principal ecclesiastical seat of the Catholic Church of both East and West.
In 1870, the Pope's holdings were left in an uncertain situation when Rome itself was annexed by the Piedmontese after a nominal resistance of the papal forces. The popes were left between 1870 and 1929 in a situation somewhat like that of the last emperor of China, undisturbed in their palace, but with no official status recognized by the Italian State. Other states maintained international recognition of the Holy See as a sovereign entity, and in practice Italy made no attempt to interfere with the Holy See. During this period it became fashionable to speak of the Pope as a "prisoner". This situation was resolved on February 11, 1929 under the premiership of Mussolini by the three Lateran treaties, which established the independent State of the Vatican City and granted Catholicism special status in Italy. The cathedra (official seat) of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, is in the apse of the Lateran basilica. The Lateran is on one of the seven hills of Rome, the Caelian. In 1984, a new concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain provisions of the earlier treaty, including the position of Catholicism as the Italian state religion.
The Vatican City, one of the European microstates, is situated on the Vatican Hill in the north-western part of Rome, several hundred metres west of the Tiber river, on the latter's right bank. Its borders (3.2km in total, all with Italy) closely follow the city wall constructed to protect the Pope from outside attack. The situation is more complex at the famous St. Peter's Square in front of the St. Peter's Basilica, where the correct border is just outside the ellipse formed by Bernini's colonnade. It is the smallest sovereign state in the world at 0.44 km² (108.7 acres). According to the Lateran Treaties, certain properties of the Holy See, although not being part of the territory of the City State, enjoy the privilege of extraterritoriality (e.g. Major Basilicas, Curial and diocesan offices, Castel Gandolfo). The Pope is the Head of State, though he governs through the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City.
Its climate is naturally the same as Rome's; a temperate, Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters from September to mid-May and hot, dry summers from May to August.
The Vatican City is itself of great cultural significance. Buildings such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are home to some of the most beautiful art in the world, which includes works by artists such as Botticelli, Bernini and Michelangelo. The Vatican Library and the collections of the Vatican Museums are of the highest historical, scientific and cultural importance.
The permanent population of the Vatican City is predominately male, although two orders of nuns live in the Vatican. A minority are senior Catholic clergy; the remainder are members of religious orders. Many workers in the Vatican City live outside its walls, including the Swiss Guard and embassy personnel.
Men, and especially women, must adhere to strict dress codes. Clothes that show the legs above the knees are strictly banned.
Citizenship can be achieved by stable residence and by holding an office or job within the city. Tourism is an important factor in the daily life of the Vatican. The Pope leads weekly mass and other services, and appears on religious holidays such as Easter.
Things you should know when travelling to Holy See
Most Canadian visitors to Italy do not experience problems. However, episodes of violence may occur, sometimes involving bomb attacks by organized criminal or extremist groups. The incidence of street crime is similar to that elsewhere in Europe, particularly in large urban centres. Pickpocketing and purse snatching occur at tourist sites, on public transportation, Internet cafés, and at major airports and railway stations. Motorcyclists frequently grab bags and other personal belongings from pedestrians, often resulting in injury. Car theft occurs at gas stations and on highways. Thieves often work in pairs or groups. One or more will distract the victim while another steals. Ensure your vehicle remains in sight when stopping at service areas. There are also reports of individuals staging roadside emergencies (e.g., a smoking engine or flat tire) to persuade drivers to pull over. Thieves then remove personal belongings from the distracted driver's car. Do not leave personal belongings unattended, especially in vehicles. Exercise normal precautions and ensure valuables are secure. In an emergency, call 113 for the police, 112 for the Carabinieri (military police).
