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Over the years there has been one outstanding a question that has been hard to get an answer to, but now a credible information source has been found to help answer. The question is simple, the answer is not so simple. Simply put, the question is: does the Vatican Post Office have a branch location on top of the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica? Getting to the answer gets a little more complex. The 1954 National Philatelic Museum article on the Vatican Post Office, which is cited below, states that: “The main post office is located deep within the Varican walls. For the benefit and convenience of visitors and tourist, two branches are open during business hours in rooms built beneath the Colonnades and one on the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica.:” Well, that was in 1954, but what about now? Yes, the Central Post Office building is inside the Vatican State complex. Entrance is protected by the Swiss Guard, and visitors must follow exacting special procedures to get near the building. The two Vatican Post Office branch locations beneath the Colonnades have been relocated. Currently, one branch location is a postal trailer parked on the far east side of the Colonnade in St. Peter’s Square. The second post office branch location is in a single-story gift shop building to the right, as visitors walk to exit St. Peter’s Basilica. There is a third post office branch located on the second floor of the Vatican Museums, near the Philatelic Museum, close to the Bramante Staircase. At this point, the conclusion is that at least one time, there was a post office location on top of the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica. Do you have questions for the Vatican Post Office? I have several questions. If you want to add your question to the VPS / CFN question list, please click on the Contact button on the VPS website Member Page to submit your question to the VPS Website Team. We have recently been able to contact several people at the Vatican Post Office and get answers to questions to some of our questions. Reference Ernest A. Kehr (editor), “Vatican Post Office”, National Philatelic Museum, Vatican Issue, Volume VII, Number 1,1954, pages 210-211 |
