Vatican Post
The Vatican Post ( Italian : Poste Vaticane ) is the state post of the Vatican City .
The Poste Vaticane is subordinate to the "Directorate for Telecommunications in the Governorate of the State of the Vatican City" and is responsible for the delivery of mail in the Vatican as well as for the forwarding of posted mail for international mail.
The organization issues its own postage stamps , but these are only valid in its area of responsibility. In addition to the territory of the Vatican City , this also extends to the Vatican's extraterritorial properties in Italy. Thus, for example, the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo , the Episcopal Church of San Giovanni in Laterano (Rome) or the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (near Rome) are affiliated to the Vatican postal system.
history
A few months after the conclusion of the Lateran Treaty on February 11, 1929 and the associated acquisition of political and territorial sovereignty for the Vatican City State, the Vatican joined the Universal Postal Union on June 1, 1929 , to which it is still a member.
Post offices
A total of three Vatican post offices are open to the public. Two of them are located directly on St. Peter's Square at the end of the colonnades. In addition, a post office in the Vatican Museum is open to the general public. Outside the opening times, the mailboxes of the Poste Vaticane on St. Peter's Square can also be used, as well as the mailboxes of the Poste Vaticane of San Giovanni in Laterano or the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
Postage stamps
Due to their geographical limitations, Poste Vaticane stamps are very popular with pilgrims and tourists. Many philatelists also appreciate this collection area.
postage
The postage is based on the corresponding tariffs of the Italian post office. When sending valuables or goods subject to excise duty (alcohol, tobacco products, perfumes, coffee) with the Poste Vaticane, please note that the sovereign state of Vatican City is not a member of the European Union and neither is the Vatican, e.g. B. comparable miniature states ( Monaco , Andorra , San Marino ), belonged to the EU customs union through special agreements . The Vatican thus represents a so-called third country, which is why postal traffic between the Vatican and the Federal Republic of Germany or Austria is subject to customs surveillance. Since Italy, on the other hand, belongs to the EU, mail from Italy to Germany or Austria is usually not subject to customs treatment. Thus, when sending valuables or goods subject to excise duty to Germany and Austria, the Italian post office would be preferable to Poste Vaticane to avoid import duties.
