Poste Vaticane
The Vatican Mail ( Italian: Poste Vaticane ) is the United States Postal Vatican City.
The Poste Vaticane is subject to the " Directorate of Telecommunications of the Governorate of the Vatican City State " and is responsible for international postal traffic both for postal delivery in the Vatican as well as for the forwarding of the discontinued mailings.
A few months after the conclusion of the Lateran Pacts on February 11, 1929 and the related attainment of political and territorial sovereignty of the State of Vatican City, the Vatican took effect on June 1, 1929 at the Universal Postal Union (UPU ), which he is to this day.
The Poste Vaticane give out its own stamps, but only in their area of responsibility are valid. This covers not only the territory of Vatican City on the extra-territorial possessions of the Vatican in Italy. Thus, for example, the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, the Episcopal Church of St. John Lateran ( Rome) or the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls are connected to the Vatican postal system ( in Rome).
For the public, a total of three Vatican post offices are accessible. Two of them are located directly on St. Peter's Square at the end of the colonnade. In addition, a post office in the Vatican museum is open to the public. Outside the opening times and the letterboxes of Poste Vaticane can be used on St. Peter's Square, as well as the mailboxes of Poste Vaticane of San Giovanni in Laterano or the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
Due to its geographical limitation stamps Poste Vaticane with pilgrims and tourists are very popular. Many philatelists appreciate this collection area.
The postage Poste Vaticane governed by the corresponding rates of the Italian Post. When sending valuables or excise goods (alcohol, tobacco, perfumes, coffee) with the Poste Vaticane is important to note that the sovereign State of the Vatican City is not part of the EU and the Vatican did not, such as comparable dwarf states (Monaco, Andorra, San Marino), belongs to a special agreement on the EU Customs Union. Thus, the Vatican is a so-called third country, which is why the postal service between the Vatican and the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria is subject to supervision by the customs. Since Italy, however, the EU belongs, subject mailings from Italy to Germany or Austria in general, not the customs treatment. Thus, with consignments of valuables or excise duty, the Italian post office Poste Vaticane would be to Germany and Austria for the avoidance of import duties preferred.