I have always been fascinated with Europe, especially Italy. I visited there when I was very small but I have always wanted to go back. I've read a lot about Florence and Venice and Rome, but one place I have never really looked at is Vatican City. I knew that it is where the Pope stays but I had no idea that it was an official country.
The Vatican City, officially called the Holy See, is the smallest country in the world and is located within a walled area of Rome. It measures only 0.17 square miles!. . Since it is a small state with a small population the crime rate is much higher than Italy and approximately 90% of the cases remain unsolved (so hold on to your purse, it looks like the guards are just there for decoration) The Vatican has its own Post office and issues its own stamps; it has its own mail system which is widely used by Romans and in most cases is a lot quicker than Italian mail. The Vatican City issues its own passports; the Pope, cardinals, members of the Swiss guard and clergy being the ones who receive them. Italians are allowed to donate 8% of their yearly taxes to the Vatican instead of paying it to the Italian Government( oh that is soo nice of the Italian Government). To be a Swiss guard one must be: at least 5'8.5'' in height, Male, Catholic, between the ages of 19 and 30, have completed basic training in the Swiss military, and of course, be Swiss. And my favorite: It is rumored that Christopher Columbus was the son of the errant Pope Innocence the IIX. It's thanks to Pope Innocence that Columbus received the funding for his trip to the new world.
One of the things I discovered while learning about the Vatican is that there was once a female pope! Here is the story:
John Anglicus, born in Mainz, was recorded as being pope for two years, seven months and four days. It is is claimed that John was in fact female. Joan/John was taken to Athens by a lover of hers and made to conceal her identity by dressing in men's clothes. Joan was an extremely bright scholar and rose quickly in society. In Rome she rose quickly amongst learnered masters and students and soon she was the choice of everyone for Pope. While pope she became pregnant and it is said she gave birth during a procession from St Peter's Basilica to the Lateran, in a narrow lane between the Colosseum and St Clement's church. After her identity was discovered she was killed and buried in that same place. These are some Vatican City facts since that event: Popes are carried around in a chair with a hole in the bottom, supposedly to allow cardinals to check for manhood. From 16th century documentation there is evidence of a bust of Johannes VIII, femina ex Anglia among a line of papal busts in the Siena Cathedral. Papal processions stopped using the street in question (Via Vicus Papissa - lady Pope street). There was a statue and shrine on this street of a mother and child, representing the Popess and her infant. The statue is no longer but the shrine still exists. Legends says that a stone slab marked the spot where Joan gave birth and was buried. However, Pope Pius V had it removed in the late 16th century.To this day an illustration of her labor remains in Saint Peter's Basilica at the foot of the baldacchino, the main altar (over St Peter's tomb).Unlike most of the other Popes, no public illustration or painting exists in the Vatican of Pope Johannes .
Who knew that the Vatican City had such... interesting facts to be learned about it!


Online. Available: http://www.romanlife-romeitaly.com/vatican-city-facts.html October 25, 2010