A curious fact about Vatican City is that the capital and the state are the same. An independent city-state that covers just over 100 acres, Vatican City is the world’s smallest fully independent nation-state. Remember, while Vatican City is just 0.44 square kilometres in size, Kochi is 94.88 square kilometres!
Vatican City is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope resides in the Vatican Palace. The government of the Roman Catholic Church is known as the Holy See, which is headed by the Pope and other bishops. There is hardly anything cultivated in the city as almost all supplies, including food, water, electricity and gas, are imported. No tax is levied on the citizens and no restriction is placed on the import and export of funds. The income of the state comes from the voluntary contributions of the believers of the Roman Catholic Church world over.
The city’s primary attraction is its art and architecture. There are numerous exquisite Renaissance artworks of artists like Bramante, Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta, Maderno and Bernini across the city. St. Peter’s Basilica houses most of the artefacts. Have you heard of the Sistine Chapel and its celebrated fresco, the Last Judgement, by Michelangelo? In 1984, the Vatican was chosen to be a World Heritage Site and is the only one consisting of an entire state!
Picture Credit : Google
