The Vatican City State is a country located in Rome. Both in terms of area and population, it is the smallest country in the world. Based on these facts about the Vatican, let’s learn about its history, geography, economy, people, and more. I invite you to read interesting facts about the Vatican.
1. The Vatican City State, surrounded by Rome in Italy, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church.
2. The full name of the country is the Vatican City State.
3. With an area of approximately 44 hectares (110 acres) and a population of approximately 840 inhabitants in 2016, Vatican City is the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world, both in terms of area and population.
4. The Vatican Museums were founded by Pope Julius II in the 16th century.
5. There are 54 museums in total, the last of which is the Sistine Chapel with a ceiling decorated by Michelangelo and the Stanze della Segnatura decorated by Raphael.
6. The Vatican Museums are said to house the world’s largest collection of works of art, over 14 kilometers long, that can wrap four and a half times around the Vatican walls.
7. The Vatican Museums are a series of 1,400 rooms, chapels and galleries that form the former wings of the Vatican Palace.
8. The Vatican has an astronomy department and operates one of the world’s largest telescopes called the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, located in Arizona, United States.
9. The Vatican added 7,000 LEDs to illuminate 6,000 square meters of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
10. Vatican City has a national football team.
11. Michelangelo was a retail innkeeper. The tree from which Eve gathers the forbidden fruit in the Sistine Chapel is not an apple tree – the leaves on the tree indicate that it is a fig tree.
12. The Holy Door is only opened once every twenty-five years (or on special jubilees).
13. Basilica of St. Peter’s is part of the Vatican Museums and is known as the largest Catholic church in the world.
14. The pope is defended by the papal Swiss Guard.
15. The Vatican Museums are open daily from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm every day except Sundays. Please note that the mandatory exit time is 6.00PM.
16. The Vatican creates an electronic library and makes it available to everyone for free.
17. Because the Vatican has no tax revenue, it generates 90 percent of its revenue from museum admission fees, souvenir sales, and donations from the faithful.
18. The Pietà is the only autographed work by Michelangelo.
19. Part of the museums is Passetto di Borgo connecting the official residence of the Pope with Castel Sant’Angelo.
20. In 1997, the Vatican defended Pokemon when they were criticized for pro-evolution by other Christian groups.
21. The underground passage saved the life of Pope Clement VII in 1527, when the soldiers of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V crossed the Vatican and murdered priests and nuns.
22. Among the most popular museums are the Vatican Historical Museum.
