Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
intercom by the door) down the street. It makes up for the lack of cloisters in Rome.
The green oasis is overflowing with gorgeous flowers and offers a tranquil respite
from the chaos outside. It was once a hospice for sailors from Genoa, designed by
Baccio Pontelli. Admission is free, but you should make a modest offering.
Gianicolo
Up above Trastevere is the Gianicolo, which runs all the way to Vatican City. At
the top of the hill, a monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi stands in representation
of the many battles fought for Rome, and nearby is a statue of his Brazilian wife,
Anita, on a feisty horse, holding their baby in one hand and a pistol in the other.
Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi is the best place to watch the sun set over Rome, as
the orange hue of Trastevere below seems to wash to gray when night falls. It is
ultraromantic, and you will see your fair share of public affection here. But it is
also a nice diversion if you've got kids. There is a puppet theater (in Italian only)
and merry-go-round and pony rides during the late afternoon.
VATICAN CITY
For many people, it is virtually impossible to separate Vatican City from Rome.
The two entities seem to intertwine as one bustling metropolis, though, in real-
ity, they are distinct places. Vatican City, called the Holy See, has been an inde-
pendent state since 1929, when Mussolini and Pope Pius XII signed the Lateran
Pact giving Vatican City sovereignty and giving the Pope ultimate control over
this tiny parcel of land bordered by the Vatican walls. There are 800 mostly male
residents in Vatican City, which has its own independent government, independ-
ent passports, embassies, and diplomatic status with nearly every country in the
world. In addition, Vatican City has its own army, its own media outlets, its own
well-stocked international pharmacy, and a postal system far more efficient than
the regular Italian post.
Vatican City's most obvious gems, like St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican
Museums, and the Sistine Chapel, are really only a facet of this multi-dimensional
country. Popes representing the Vatican have always had the ear of, or at least
The Swiss Guard
The Vatican army, or Swiss Guard, is made up of 100 Swiss men: 4 officers, 1 chap-
lain, 23 non-commissioned officers, 70 halberdiers (weapon carriers), and 2 drum-
mers. In many ways they are a modern-day male version of the ancient Vestal
Virgins (p. 51), though instead of the sacred flame of vestal, they are tasked with
protecting the Pope when he travels, and with keeping harm from the Apostolic
Palace within Vatican City. Their colorful formal uniforms were designed by
Michelangelo in the colors of the Medici family. They live within the walls of
Vatican City and must not marry until their duty is complete—they serve between
2 and 25 years. Recruits must be under 30 and at least 1.7m (5 ft. 8 in.) tall. And,
of course, they must be upstanding Roman Catholics, as witnessed by their parish
priests.
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