Michelangelo’s work on the Apostolic Palace While the fact that Michelangelo worked on the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, is relatively well known, not many know that Michelangelo toiled very hard for 4 long years between 1508 and 1512 to complete the fresco paintings on the ceiling.
Majority of Vatican citizens live abroad!That sounds way too hard to be true, isn’t it? But it is a fact! While the total citizens of Vatican barely number around 800, more than 400, i.e. in excess of 50%, live abroad, occupying various diplomatic positions around the world. Vatican citizenship comes only with appointment!Typically, across the world, being born in a particular place is sufficient in itself to offer citizenship of that place but not so in Vatican; here you can only be appointed as a citizen of the place, without being assured of that, say by virtue of being born there. |
Vatican has its own mail systemNot only does Vatican have its own mail system – with its own Post Office and stamps, many Romans use its services since it is much quicker than the routine Italian postal system.
Vatican has its own Passport systemBesides the mail system, Vatican has its own Passport system as well for its citizens, who as we mentioned above, are appointed and therefore would typically comprise of the Pope (of course!), other cardinals, clergymen as well as members of the Swiss guards Extensive use of the Latin LanguageVatican is one of the few places in the world – maybe the only one, where Latin language is still used extensively, so much so that even the ATMs in Vatican have Latin as one of their languages which users can choose! Vatican has a telescope in ArizonaAs hard as it may seem to believe, it is true that Vatican has a telescope of its own in distant Arizona in the US, which helps it with its astronomical research, in view of increasing light pollution in Rome. |
Mussolini paved the way for VaticanAgain, it may seem hard to believe but it was in fact the hardened dictator Mussolini who paved the way for Vatican to exist as a separate entity – a sovereign state, with Lateran Pacts being signed by Mussolini himself.
Vatican has an active social media presenceToday, Vatican has a very active presence on the social media circuit, with its own website, YouTube channel as well as the Pope’s own Twitter account. Prolific Vatican museums Vatican museums are said to be so prolific that even if one took a minute to look at each painting in them, it would take 4 years to see them all. The Vatican city is the smallest city in the world. Encircled by a 2-mile border with Italy, Vatican City is an independent city-state that covers just over 100 acres, making it one-eighth the size of New York’s Central Park. Vatican City is governed as an absolute monarchy with the pope at its head. The Vatican mints its own euros, prints its own stamps, issues passports and license plates, operates media outlets and has its own flag and anthem. One government function it lacks: taxation. Museum admission fees, stamp and souvenir sales, and contributions generate the Vatican’s revenue. |