Vatican City

Understand

The Vatican City is the temporal seat of the Pope, head of the worldwide Catholic Church. Situated within the city of Rome, the Vatican is the world's smallest sovereign state. You may also hear the term Holy See (Italian: Santa Sede; Latin: Sancta Sedes), which is used to refer to the Diocese of Rome—that is, the ecclesiastical and administrative authority of the Pope, rather than the sovereign governmental entity that is the Vatican City State. Whenever a Pope dies or resigns, a new Pope is elected by the Papal Conclave, which is comprised of a group of senior clergy known as cardinals. The election takes place inside the Sistine Chapel, whose doors are locked during the proceedings. The ballot papers are burnt after each round of voting, with black smoke coming from the Sistine Chapel chimney indicating that the previous round of voting was inconclusive and white smoke indicating that a new Pope has been chosen. After changing into his Papal vestments, the new Pope is then presented to the public from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

History Vatican City is all that remains of the Papal States, the former temporal land holdings of the Pope. Over the years, this territory varied considerably in extent, and may be traced back to AD 756 with the "Donation of Pepin". However, the popes had been the de facto rulers of Rome and the surrounding province since the fall of the Roman Empire and the retreat of Byzantine power in Italy. Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the Pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" Popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City, granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy, recognised the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent. In 1984, the agreement was revised to eliminate Catholicism's position as the only state religion of Italy, but the essential features of the agreement remain in force today.

Diplomacy The Holy See — the headquarters of the Catholic Church which is housed in Vatican City — has diplomatic recognition from the overwhelming majority of countries in the world and has permanent observer status in numerous international organisations, including the United Nations General Assembly. Although there are apostolic nuncios (equivalent to ambassadors

Getting there

Although the Vatican City is an independent country, it does not issue visas or residency permits to visitors; it has open borders with Italy. Since Italy is a part of the Schengen area, its common visa policy applies.

By foot There are three road entrances to Vatican City: from Via della Stazione Vaticana, Via Paolo VI and Borgo Pio. The entrance from Borgo Pio leads to the Vatican Museum, and the other two entrances lead to St. Peter's Basilica.

By bus There are several bus stations near the Vatican City. For the St. Peter's Basilica and Square, the #64 bus goes from central Rome right to the southern end of the Vatican, but it is filled with pickpockets so guard your valuables! From western Rome, the #46 bus also goes to St. Peter's Basilica and Square. For the Vatican Museums, the #49 bus goes from western Rome to the northern end of Vatican City. The gate to the Vatican Museums is carved on the wall right beside the bus station.

By metro Take the metro to 1 Cipro A for the museums, and 2 Ottaviano A for St. Peter's. To go from Cipro to the museums, go east through Via Candia and then turn right at Via Santamaura. To go from Ottaviano to St. Peter's, go south through Via Ottaviano. A fun trip is to take the tram to Piazza del Risorgimento. Tour touts are often seen near Ottaviano station, and some may falsely claim that St. Peter's Basilica is closed (see Common scams#Attraction closed).

By train Roma San Pietro station is just south of the Vatican's borders. The Vatican has its own train station, however, there are no regular scheduled passenger services. Historically, it has been used by the Pope for special travel on Italian rail or to send off papal remains.

By plane There is a heliport that is only used by the Pope. The closest airport is the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO IATA) of Rome.

Getting around

On foot With an area of 49 hectares (120 acres) and a population of about 1,000 residents, the Vatican is small enough to be explored on foot. You can easily cover the Vatican in 30-60 minutes this way.

By car It's a little-known fact that the Vatican issues vehicle registration plates. Visitors (including Italian citizens) are not allowed to drive around the Vatican without permission from the Vatican authorities. Unless you're here for something incredibly important (e.g. the Pope wants to meet you personally, you are here on diplomatic business, you're an Italian policeman and you've been asked to patrol St. Peter's Basilica) it's highly unlikely that you'll be given permission to drive around. In any case, you don't need to drive around to fully take in the beauty of the Vatican; the country's road network is small and limited. Some streets of Borgo and most streets in Prati have one way traffic. Parking in the streets is available, but it will be difficult to find a free place. Big parkings are located SE of St. Peter's Square and under Piazza Cavour.

See

There is a lot of artwork to see in Vatican City.

St. Peter's Basilica

1 St. Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro). Apr-Sep: 07:00-19:00, Oct-Mar: 07:00-18:00. Closed on Wednesday mornings for papal audiences and may be closed for other occasions.. The centre of the Catholic world, this magnificent basilica with its Michelangelo-designed dome has an awe-inspiring interior. This place is huge, but everything is in such proportion that the scale escapes you. However, contrary to popular belief, it is not the Pope's cathedral; that honour lies with the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in San Giovanni. Free. (updated Aug 2022) Construction of the basilica began in 1506 and it was not completed until the end of 1626. Thus it spans two architectural periods. The overall design by Bramante and Michelangelo is Late Renaissance but the façade designed by Maderno and the interior, which owes much to Bernini, are both Baroque in style. The interior is lavishly decorated and contains a large number of tombs of popes and others. There are also several sculptures in side chapels, including Michelangelo's Pietà. A queue to enter may be long, but it moves quickly. All visitors pass through metal detectors and bags are screened. Visitors in very short shorts and skirts, and sleeveless tops, are offered a cover just before the entry. Photos are allowed to be taken inside, but not with a flash. Visits to the basilica are still possible while Mass is in progress.

The dome, which dominates Vatican City, has a total height of 136.57 m (448 ft) from the floor of the basilica to the top of the external cross. It is the tallest dome in the world. Its internal diameter is 41.47 m (136 ft), slightly smaller than the Pantheon and the cathedral at Florence. Most of the final design was by Michelangelo, building on earlier designs by Bramante and Sangallo and taking much of his inspiration from the cathedral of Florence. After Michelangelo's death in 1564, the work was completed by Giacomo della Porta. You can take an elevator up to the roof and then make a long climb up 323 steps to the top of the dome for a spectacular view. Taking the elevator costs €10 (€8 to climb the stairs) and you should allow an hour to go up and down. During the climb and before reaching the very top, you will find yourself standing on the inside of the dome, looking down into the basilica itself. Be warned that there are a lot of stairs so it is not for the faint at heart (literally or figuratively) nor those suffering from claustrophobia as the very last section of the ascent is through little

Do

While guidebooks do their best to provide an aid for viewing the collections inside the Vatican, a guided tour is a far better way to make sure you get the most out of your visit.

Vatican tours Guided tours are provided by the Vatican itself for the cost of €30. These may be requested in advance by fax from one month to one week before the requested tour date, or online from two months before the requested tour date. The Vatican is notorious for failing to reply via fax, and repeat requests are often necessary. Two-hour English tours of the Vatican Museum cost €31 and include museum admission, and leave at 10:30, 12:00 and 14:00 in summer, and 10:30 and 11:15 in winter. To reserve, book online. Other contact details: for groups [email protected], for individuals: [email protected], ☏ +39 06 69883145 or ☏ +39 06 69884676, fax ☏ +39 06 69873250. With a booking you skip the queue and enter through the exit, next to the entry, to go to the guided tours desk. Guided tours are the only way to see the quiet and peaceful 8 Vatican Gardens, either by foot (€32, duration 2 hr) or by open bus (€36, duration 40 min). Ticket prices for both types of tours include access (without a guide) to the Vatican Museum. Book at least a day in advance by calling ☏ +39 06-6988-4676 or book online. Tuesday, Thursday, & Saturday at 10:00, depart from tour desk and finish in St. Peter's Square. Another guided tour is called: Vaticano In Treno – Vaticano Full Day. You visit the museum, the Sistine Chapel, the gardens, leave for Castel Gandolfo by train from the Vatican railway station, and visit Castel Gandolfo. Making it the only possibility to go by train from the Vatican Railway Station. To tour the Necropolis and Saint's Tomb, call the excavations office at least a week in advance at ☏ +39 06-6988-5318, €10 for a 2-hour tour, office open Monday to Saturday 09:00-17:00.

Go to Mass If you're Catholic (or even if you're not), you can go to religious services in any of the four Basilicas of the City, including St. Peter's. All four have Mass daily, some hourly during daylight hours (generally 07:00–15:00). Confession is also available daily in these basilicas, and is offered in multiple languages. Mass in St Peter's Basilica is held daily at 07:00, 07:30, 08:30, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 17:00 and 18:00 from Monday to Saturday, and 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 09:45, 10:30, 12:30, 16:00, 17:00 and 18:00 on Sundays and religious holidays. Visits to the basilica are still possible while Mass is in progress. Masses are conducted in Latin from Monday to F

Buy

The Vatican has a unique, non-commercial economy supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics worldwide. It also sells postage stamps, tourist mementoes, and publications. Fees for admission to museums also go into church coffers. The Vatican euro coins are the rarest in circulation among European countries, so don't spend them! They are worth a lot more than their face value. Collecting Vatican coins is a popular hobby among numismatists, as the coins of the Vatican City carry a great deal of historical and religious significance. Vatican coins often depict images of popes, saints, and scenes from the Bible and can be a great way to commemorate a special event or admire the coins' beauty. Collecting Vatican coins also offers the chance to learn more about the history of the Vatican and the Catholic faith.

1 Sabatini, Via Germanico, 168/A, ☏ +39 06 36003966. M-F 09:00–13:00, 15:00-19:00; Sa 09:00-13:00. Sabatini is a short walk from the Vatican and one of the best camera shops in Rome. 2 Savelli Religious, Via Paolo VI, 27-29 (Across the street from St. Peter's Square), ☏ +39 06 6830 7017. M-Sa 09:00–18:30; Su 09:00-13:30. Has jewellery, crosses and Catholic statues. The Pope blesses most things here. 3 St. Peter's Gallery (Galleria San Pietro), Largo del Colonnato, 5, ☏ +39 06 686 5450, [email protected]. Open 24 hours. A pretty expensive souvenir shop with some religious items. The bypass-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museums are sold here.

Sleep

Unless you count the Pope as a good friend (and he concurs), there are no lodging opportunities in the Vatican City itself. However, there are many hotels in the surrounding Vaticano neighbourhood of Rome.

Budget 1 Catone District Hotel, Via Catone, 34, ☏ +39 06 39735082, fax: +39 06 39754358. With 24 single, twin, double, triple and quadruple rooms. All with private bath, shower, internet access, TV and telephone. From €63. (updated Dec 2021) 2 Hotel Colors, Via Boezio, 31, ☏ +39 06 6874030, fax: +39 06 6867947. Seven dorms and wide selection of bedrooms with private showers, TV and a shared kitchen for this two star accommodation next to the Vatican City. Suitable for families and young travellers. 3 B&B Eldorado Rome, Via Fabio Massimo, 72, ☏ +39 329 0707988. Check-in: 00:00, check-out: 10:30. Bed and Breakfast with 5 double bedrooms. Three with private bath, two with a shared one. Breakfast included. Rates change according to the season. Single: €50–100 Double: €60–140 Triple: €80–160. (updated Dec 2021) 4 B&B Gli Artisti, Via degli Scipioni, 53 (a little less than a kilometre from the main entrance to the Vatican), ☏ +39 338 207 8356. Three colourful rooms are rented out in this B&B. Tours of the Vatican Museums are available here for €42. From €99. (updated Dec 2021) 5 Prati BB, Via degli Scipioni, 135, ☏ +39 06 321 1329, [email protected]. A small Bed and Breakfast offering two rooms with private bathrooms and air-con. From €49. (updated Dec 2021)

Mid-range 6 Amor Bed & Breakfast, Viale Giulio Cesare, 183, ☏ +39 335 568 9388, [email protected]. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. A stylish bed & breakfast near the Vatican City. From €80. 7 Atlante Star Hotel, Via Giovanni Vitelleschi, 34, ☏ +39 06 687 3233. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. Four-star 70 room hotel with rooftop terrace restaurant overlooking Saint Peter's. Also run the nearby Atlante Garden Hotel. From €52. (updated Dec 2021) 8 B&B Sistine, Via Duilio, 6, ☏ +39 335 871 4840. 3 room B&B. Rooms come with sat TV, DVD player and free Wi-Fi. From €120. (updated Dec 2021) 9 Best Vatican, Via degli Scipioni, 135, ☏ +39 335 871 4840. Modern 4 room B&B on third floor of a nineteenth century building. Private bathrooms, LCD TVs with DVD players. From €120. (updated Dec 2021) 10 Hotel Joli Rome, Via Cola di Rienzo, 243, ☏ +39 06 324 1854, fax: +39 06 360 06637. Two-star accommodation located around the Vatican area with 17 bedrooms divided into single, double, triple and family. Most of the rooms have private bath. Breakfast included. €109, single €99. 11 Leone B&B, Via Leone IV, 109,

Go next

Right outside the borders, the amazing attractions of the global city of Rome await you. If you're up for some more historic sightseeing, visit the beautiful piazzas and palazzos of Old Rome or head to the ancient Roman ruins in the Colosseo district. If not, the hustle and bustle of the Modern Centre with all its shopping opportunities and colourful nightlife might be just what you are looking for. If you can't get enough of the papal atmosphere, head to the San Giovanni neighbourhood to visit San Giovanni in Laterano, the Pope's cathedral in his role as Bishop of Rome. The small city of Viterbo also makes a good next stop. This is where popes took refuge when they were driven out of Rome and where six of the 13th-century popes had their seat. Castel Gandolfo, overlooking Lake Albano, is another location where the pope's summer residence is.