Small territory, Big History…

At just .17 square miles, Vatican City is amongst the smaller states in the world.  But it was not always like this.  My students always ask me “Why is Vatican City so small, but they control so much?”  Of course I go into my long history starting just after the fall of the Roman Empire and it lasts forever, and they find out it was not always that small, as they found out that the Papal States were much bigger headed by the Pope, then after the Pope had no territory, then finally Il Duce gave the present day Vatican to the Pope…

I have been there twice.  On the first time in 2003 in which it was very dead and not alot of people.  Then the second time in 2005 and as I arrived there was people everywhere.  I found out that Pope Benedict XVI was speaking, so I got to see him speak which made me very excited.

St. Peters Basilica is the most awe inspiring church in the world.  There is so much to see there and it is usually crammed with tourists.  But I have always loved every single bit of it and always find something new to look at:

The other part is obviously the Sistine Chapel and also the Vatican Museum.  They usually do not let you take pictures in there but I was able to sneak a few low quality ones…