CITY
Discovering Vatican City, the world's smallest sovereign state
Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State, is a landlocked city-state on the Italian peninsula, the world's smallest sovereign state by population (869 according to a 2019 census).
The Vatican is what remains of the ancient Papal State, a portion of Italian territory over which, for centuries, the authority of the Pope reigned supreme. The real problems began with the birth of the Kingdom of Italy and the Pontiff's loss of temporal power. Today, only a tiny part of the State that once was remains.
Always a place of intrigue and mysteries but also a place of preservation of a great deal of Christian art, Vatican City still remains one of the most visited places in the world, and not only by Catholics or Christians, but tourists from all over the globe.
The beauty of Vatican City
Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State, is a landlocked city-state on the Italian peninsula, the world's smallest sovereign state by population (869 according to a 2019 census). The Vatican is what remains of the ancient Papal State, a portion of Italian territory over which, for centuries, the authority of the Pope reigned supreme. The real problems began with the birth of the Kingdom of Italy and the Pontiff's loss of temporal power. Today, only a tiny part of the State that once was remains. Always a place of intrigue and mysteries but also a place of preservation of a great deal of Christian art, Vatican City still remains one of the most visited places in the world, and not only by Catholics or Christians, but tourists from all over the globe.
Di Stefan Bauer, http://www.ferras.at - Opera propria, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w
There is no permanent citizenship for Vatican City
The fact that the Vatican has no hospitals within its walls means that there are no delivery rooms either, and therefore no one can actually be 'born' within the City. Citizenship is granted on a nominal basis for those who work in a certain speficia area in the service of the Holy See. Citizenship is extended to spouses, parents and other relatives living together. Once the appointment ceases, citizenship is removed.
Di sconosciuto - L'illustrazione Italiana, Pubblico dominio, https://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.p
The Vatican has its own currency
Vatican City has its own currency, the Vatican euro, which is one of the few commemorative euro coins issued by an EU member state. In addition, Vatican City also issues its own postage stamps, which are highly sought after by collectors all over the world.
How the Vatican State is organized
The city-state was formally constituted on 7 June 1929 through the so-called Lateran Pacts, which were signed on 11 February by Duce Benito Mussolini and Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri, the representatives of the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See. In fact, Vatican City is an enclave within the territory of the Italian Republic, right in the middle of the city of Rome. A regime of absolute monarchy is in force in the State, with the Pope holding both temporal and spiritual power of Catholicism. The official language is Italian, while Latin is the official language of the Holy See.
The amount of art in the Vatican is boundless
Inside the Vatican, once a huge Papal State, are preserved some of the finest examples of Christian art of any era. The Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's masterpiece, adorns the ceiling of the Apostolic Palace, and is recognised as one of the greatest and most beautiful works of art in the world. The Vatican Museums are also some of the most visited museums in the world.
Only "state" to be a world heritage site
The Vatican holds a curious record, namely being the only state in the entire world to have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Holy See's other extraterritorial properties in the historic centre of Rome.
Museums
07/12/2023
For at least a couple of centuries, Paris was the center of the European literary world. Between the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries, the French capital hosted to scholars, writers, painters, and men of letters of all kinds who would gather in the fledgling cafés.
Eating a good meal, bathed in thick cigarette smoke, these great personalities of world culture would discuss art, politics, science and the latest social innovations that were fermenting in the assemblage of diverse cultures that was Paris.
Some of these cafes still exist, although different from those of the time. We want to take you on a short journey to discover these magical places. And if you want to drop in on us on your next trip to Paris, don't thank us.
Villages
05/12/2023
Today we take you on a virtual journey to discover some of the most picturesque and amazing cities in the world, characterized by their vibrant colorful facades.
These cities are a veritable explosion of color, with buildings and houses painted in bright and bold hues, creating a unique and spectacular backdrop. The photos you will find in this photogallery capture the essence of these cities, capturing the beauty of their streets, their markets, their historic buildings and their architecture, which shine with the colors of their facades.
From the canals of Burano, Italy, to the pastel cottages of Willemstad, Curaçao, via the blue houses of Chefchaouen, in Morocco, this photogallery will take you to discover unique places in the world, where color becomes a distinctive element of the city and a symbol of its culture and identity.
Travel without booking
03/12/2023
Medieval castles, mausoleums, national parks, churches and more: often Disney animators have drawn inspiration from real places to make the locations in which animated films are set.
In some cases, real places have been reproduced in the films, such as Big Ben in Peter Pan or the Beijing's Forbidden City in Mulan.
Other times, however, animators were inspired by real locations to recreate new, albeit extremely similar locations to reality: and each of these locations can, of course, be visited. Here are some of the most famous examples.