Barracks of the Swiss Guard (Rome)

Vatican City / Rome
 military, barracks
The Swiss Guard celebrated 500 years of being the guards for the Pope. They are the oldest army unit in the world.
The history of the Swiss Guards has its origins in the 15th century. Pope Sixtus IV (1471-1484) already made a previous alliance with the Swiss Confederation and built barracks in Via Pellegrino after foreseeing the possibility of recruiting Swiss mercenaries.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=459jMgB4ZlU
Recruits to the guards must be Catholic, single males with Swiss citizenship who have completed basic training with the Swiss military and can obtain certificates of good conduct. Recruits must have a professional degree or high school diploma and must be between 19 and 30 years of age and at least 174 cm (5.7 ft) tall.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=09t6G0i44Yw
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKJDfoGe-pc
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Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Guard#Pontifical_Swiss_Guard
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   41°54'13"N   12°27'26"E

Comments

  • Are they considered the Swiss Army or the Vatican Army?