6. Vatican Secret Archives, Vatican City
In years past religion and government were intricately tied. In some locations it still is. In a place that straddles this line, the Vatican Secret Archives in Vatican City guards the secrets of ancient Catholicism. Containing centuries’ worth of hidden truths, from financial accounting to state papers, the archives are off-limits to most people.
Only the most highly qualified and vetted scholars in the world are permitted. Because the spot is so secretive, it has garnered rampant speculation about what it contains, such as proof of the existence of aliens and demons and evidence of the Church’s alleged participation in fascist governance of the mid-20th century.