Why are rome and the vatican in the same place?

Question

Why are rome and the vatican in the same place?

Answer 1

I'm italian...the vatican is the smallest country in the world and it's into rome...like lesotho in south africa

Answer 2

Vatican is in the centre of Rome, and it is the smallest country in the world... but it ins't a "real" country! Vatican is everywhere in Rome, not only in the S. Peter's Square. All the religious buildings in the centre of Rome are in Vatican territory! For example, the big palace in S. Maria in Trastevere Square, is in Vatican territory! Or the big Palazzo della Cancelleria, Palazzo dei Penitenzieri, Palazzo Apostolico, and all the religious buildings in Rome are in Vatican territory. And these religious buildings don't pay ICI (the roman comunal tax). So Vatican is a "false country" that not exists in reality! It is a small and artificial country created from the ruins of Stato Vaticano to have an independent and safe zone under the Pope's control (to maintain Pope's role and independence)

Answer 3

well...some italian history will help...

once(i mean before 1861, when Italy became a State..) there were a LOT of states in Italy : Stato Pontificio(Vatican)(that was half Italy..), Regno delle due Sicilie (Two Sicily's Reign ), Granducato di Toscana, Regno dei Savoja...just to say some of them..

in 1861 Savoja's family conquered all Italy, won also against Vatican... but must remember that religion was really important SO they decided to leave something to Pope(Vatican City)..

if you wanna see a map of Italy and all states around 1800 see below :  http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regno_d'Ita...

at the bottom of the page there are maps!

Answer 4

Please clarify your question if you want a better answer than this:  

The Vatican is a country -- the smallest country in the world! -- and it is smack dab in the middle of Rome, Italy.  Rome has for centuries been a power center.   Like Palestine / Israel, Rome has historically been the center of several major religions.

Answer 5

because peter, one of jesus friends, went to rome and tried to mission the romans. before he was arrested he had success and so more and more romans became christiians. and one day the emperor of rome, constantin, declared christianity as the religion in the whole of the roman kingdom. so rome was the political and the spiritual centre at the same time.as it expanded, the old centre, and the new churches that replaced the pagan temples, formed the vatican