Italy Blog #60: Vatican Guards and Outside the Vatican Buildings

Rob outside St. Peter's

In this blog we'll take you outside the Vatican to look at the buildings and explain about the Vatican Guards. 

The Vatican is the world's smallest state, the center of Catholicism, and home to the Pope. 

DID YOU KNOW ? - The Pope's properties are regulated by the 1929 Lateran Treaty signed with the Kingdom of Italy. Although part of Italian territory, some of them enjoy immunities, similar to those of foreign embassies

WHERE DID THE NAME "VATICAN" COME FROM ? - The name Vatican City was first used in the Lateran Treaty, signed on 11 February 1929, which established the modern city-state. The name is taken from Vatican Hill, the geographic location of the state. "Vatican" is derived from the name of an Etruscan settlement, Vatica or Vaticum meaning garden, located in the general area the Romans called vaticanus ager, "Vatican territory".

St. Peter's Basilica from the outside

The Etruscans were a powerful, wealthy and refined civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. 

SWISS GUARDS OR VATICAN GUARDS - The Swiss Guards, Italian Guardia Svizzera, corps of Swiss soldiers responsible for the safety of the pope. Often called “the world's smallest army,” they serve as personal escorts to the pontiff and as watchmen for Vatican City and the pontifical villa of Castel Gandolfo.

A Vatican Swiss Guard

Vatican museum outside

Outside the Vatican Museum