The Vatican History

Filed in archive Information on May 20, 2010

Vatican City was established in 1929. The Lateral treaty in 1929 which brought the city state into existence spoke of it as a new creation (Preamble and Article III) not as a vestige of the much larger Papal States (756-1870) that had previously encompassed central Italy. Most of the territory was absorbed into the kingdom of Italy in 1860, and the final portion, namely the city of Rome with a small area close to it, ten years later in 1870. Vatican City is ecclesiastical or sacerdotal- monarchial state ruled by the Bishop of Rome- the Pope.

It is the sovereign territory of the "Holy See" ( Saneta Sedes) and the location of the Pope's residence, referred to as the Apostolic Palace. The Popes have resided in the area that in 1929 became Vatican City, since the return from Avignon in 1377. Previously they resided in the Lateran palace on the opposite side of Rome, which Constantine gave to Pope Miltiades in 313. The chief Papal collections are contained in the galleries attached to the Vatican, the largest palace in the world. The walls of the Sistine Chapel, built in 1473 by Sixtus IV, are covered with magnificent frescoes while Michelangelo painted the ceiling and the 'Last Judgment' on the end wall.