Have you ever wondered why the pope lives in the Vatican? Look no further.
The Vatican became the historical seat of the Catholic Church when St. Peter's basilica was built in Rome in the 4th century.
That area became a popular pilgrimage site and commercial district, but it was eventually abandoned during the move of the papal court of France around 1309.
When the church returned in 1377, certain landmarks like the Apostolic Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and the new St. Peter's Basilica were erected within the city limits. This was the first true establishment of the Vatican City, but it wasn't officially noted as its current form as a sovereign nation until 1929.
During the early years of the Roman Empire, what became the Vatican City was a marshy region called Ager Vaticanus. It was an administrative region that was populated by expensive villas solely belonging to the royal and the wealthy. However, when the Great Fires ravaged Rome in 64 A.D., this area was leveled, and Nero had St. Peter and other famous Christians executed for showmanship.
However, those depraved actions actually boosted the popularity of Christianity in that area, and as time went on, powerful Romans embraced Christianity as a way to make money and control their societies.