Vatican City is the world’s smallest fully independent nation-state; it spans around just 110 ac and has less than 1000 citizens, but, this is not the only thing that makes it an intriguing tourist hotspot, the city has secrets that it holds so close to its heart that you would want to know it all.
The unbelievable and complex history of this place will amaze you, as it was not always this small! Earlier in mid-19th century, the Papal States covered, 44000 sq km approx, but, owing to struggle for Italian unification after a decade, a majority of Papal States went on to become a part of Italy officially.
You don’t get your passport stamped here.
A visit to the Vatican City won’t get your passport stamped. You can’t even get it done for a fee here. So, if you fancied getting a stamp in Vatican’s name during the trip, it is not going to happen. You will get a pilgrim’s stamp.
No one is born in the country, but it has citizens.
Technically, no births take place in the country as there are no hospitals here. However, citizenship is not based on birth in this country.
In fact, it is granted to those who stay in Vatican City because of their office or work. Diplomats of the Holy See, and cardinals who reside in Vatican City or Rome, are also regarded as citizens.
Their consumes more wine than the rest of the world.
The Vatican City consumes more wine per head, with a record that states each Vatican resident drinks 74 L of wine annually, which is roughly 105 bottles a year per person. Their aspect raises question on life around Vatican City, and whether it is tough behind those walls. Fact is―since it has a population of just 1000 inhabitants, there is a single supermarket that supplies wine to everyone, almost tax-free.
Their boasts of having its own Euro.
In 2000, Italy and the Vatican signed an agreement that enabled the Holy See to adopt the Euro as its official currency. Vatican City started minting its own Euro coins from 2002. It's interesting to note that the Vatican Euros are legal in both Italy and Vatican City, and can be circulated throughout the entire eurozone freely.
Vatican City boasts of having the world’s best post office.
The postal service of Vatican is said to be the best in the world, with many letters sent from its post code each year than anywhere else in the world. It is believed that most of the Romans, instead of relying on Italy’s national post service, visit this post office every week to post their letters. Their post office has been in existence since 1929.
World’s shortest railway.
With a rail network of just two 300 m tracks, Vatican City boasts of having the world’s shortest railway network. It has only one railway station, Cit ta Vatican. Their railway is largely used for ferrying goods. Another interesting fact about the rail network is there are no regular passenger trains on it.
More tourists are individual than any other country.
If the percentage of tourists is taken into account, Vatican City is ahead of all the countries of the world. Since their site is of great religious, political, historical and cultural significance and a tiny population size, it receives more tourists than the rest of the world.
The Vatican Museum alone receives around five-and-a-half million visitors a year.
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