Pope's building. Apostolic Palace, Vatican: description, photo, where it is on the map, how to get there. Photo attraction: Apostolic Palace

An amazing mixture of religion, art and culture, the Vatican is one of the most... mysterious places in the world, for centuries playing an important role in the history of Europe.

The only Catholic state in the world, the residence of the Pope hides behind its walls an amazing number of historical artifacts and works of art, such as Michelangelo's work on the Sistine Chapel and all kinds of documents testifying to the trial of the greatest scientists of Europe by church representatives.

Secret bridges for escaping the city, architectural structures transported from other continents, we invite you to see what the Vatican looks like from the inside.

Architectural 3D model of the city

The first thing visitors see after passing through the Vatican walls is the enormous St. Peter's Square. The edges of the square are surrounded by Roman columns, and in the very center there is a 41-meter obelisk brought by Emperor Caligula from Egypt.

In the same square, parishioners gather to listen to the speeches and sermons of the Pope from his balcony.

The central attraction is St. Peter's Basilica, which dominates the square. It took 120 years to erect the façade of the building and completely furnish the interior.

The basilica was built on a hill where Emperor Nero allegedly gave the order to execute that same Peter. This historical monument is filled with the skill of painters and sculptors from different eras.

The basilica is “crowned” by the famous massive dome, decorated by Michelangelo himself.

From the top of the dome - reached by climbing 551 steps - there is a magnificent view of Rome and the Vatican Gardens, stretching from reverse side basilicas.

The gardens cover about 60 acres - more than half the entire area of ​​the Vatican - and are generally inaccessible to visitors, as they were originally intended as a personal relaxation area for the popes.

Among the gardens there are also a government palace and even a helipad for the Pope.

Near helipad hangs a traditional sign with the inscription in Latin: “So that the Pope can comfortably survey his possessions in the Vatican from the air. Supreme Pontiff Paul VI."

To the north of the basilica, adjacent to the gardens, are the Vatican palaces - a whole chain of interconnected buildings, together containing more than a thousand rooms.

The palaces contain many chapels, government buildings and apartments. The palace complex has traditionally served as the home of the Pope since the 14th century.

A significant part of the palace complex is now dedicated to the Vatican Museums.

Total length intertwining museums of the complex - 14 kilometers. They say that if you spend just a minute on each specimen, it will take four years to familiarize yourself with all the contents of museums.

The art of the museum's galleries is literally everywhere - it can be found on the columns and on the steps - on the ceilings and on the walls.

The crown jewel of the museum is the Sistine Chapel, the chapel in which Michelangelo and other Renaissance artists labored for 60 years to perfect their works. Because of large cluster tourists in the chapel, the security service periodically asks the public to lower their voices to a whisper.

By the way, the Sistine Chapel is the home of the very conclave where the cardinals gather to vote in the election of the next pope. When the decision is finally made, white smoke is released from a chimney on the roof of the chapel.

Next to the chapel is located Apostolic Palace, originally built for the residence of Pope Sixtus V and then periodically used by popes for living and receiving guests. Like this The White house in the Vatican.

This is what the palace looks like from the inside.

The richly decorated Apostolic Library is a favorite place for popes to receive foreign guests.

Guarding the Apostolic Palace - and, one might think, the entire Vatican - is the smallest army in the world, consisting of four soldiers. Such a small Swiss Guard has traditionally been hired by the Holy See since 1506, and in order to join it, you must be a bachelor, a doorman by nationality and a Catholic between the ages of 19 and 30.

In fact, of course, most of the security work is performed by the so-called papal gendarmerie, but officially it is not an army. Interesting fact: In percentage terms, the Vatican is the most militarized country in the world, with 101 of its 557 citizens formally serving in the armed forces. In second place - North Korea.

The army was not always able to keep the head of the church safe - several times in history, popes escaped through the so-called Passetto, a fortified corridor about 800 meters long connecting the Vatican with Castel Sant'Angelo. It was last used by Pope Clement VII after the Vatican was captured by the troops of Emperor Charles V in 1527, killing all the members of the Swiss Guard on the steps of the basilica.

Complex of buildings in ; official residence of the Pope. Sometimes called the Papal Palace or the Palace of Sixtus V, it is the oldest and most important building on Vatican Hill. Since the 14th century, it has served as a papal residence, although it was built approximately in the second half of the 4th century. The Apostolic Palace is included in the version of our website.

It is very easy to get lost in the courtyards of this religious building. It includes many halls, galleries, passages, palace ensembles and chapel. One of the main attractions of the palace is the Sistine Chapel, the ceiling of which was painted by Michelangelo himself. The chapel received its name in honor of Pope Sixtus IV. In the Pinacoteca of the palace complex you can see other works by the outstanding Michelangelo.

There are thousands of rooms in the palace. One of the most beautiful halls The Clementine Hall, created in the 16th century, is considered to be. This is a whole gallery filled with frescoes and other works of art. Most of the Borgia Apartments are now occupied by a library and museum.

A special place in the complex is occupied by a number of rooms painted in the 16th century by Raphael and his students. It is noteworthy that in the palace you can see not only Christian relics, but also extensive museum collections of ancient Egyptian, Syrian and other ancient sculptures.

The residence of the Pope is located on the top floor of the palace. From his window, every Sunday he addresses the believing citizens gathered in the square. To visit the palace, it is enough to buy a single ticket to the Vatican Museums. The nearest metro stations are Ottaviano, Cipro or S. Pietro, from which you need to walk 10 minutes towards the attraction.

Photo attraction: Apostolic Palace

The complex of buildings of the Apostolic Palace includes the Papal Apartments, government agencies The Roman Catholic Church, several chapels, the Vatican Museums and the Vatican Library. The palace has more than 1,000 rooms that are world famous for containing the greatest works of art: its famous ceiling frescoes by Michelangelo (restored in 1980-1990) and Raphael's Stanzas.

The Apostolic Palace was built under Pope Sixtus V. On the 3rd floor there are halls for audiences: among them the Clementine Hall, the Consistory Hall, the Great and Small Throne Rooms, the papal library (the Pope's office and a room for private audiences). On the fourth floor are the premises of the papal secretariat.

The other papal residence is located in, and in the town of Castel Gandolfo there is a countryside summer residence.

Before the capital of Italy was moved to Rome in 1871, it was the official residence of the pope. After the final dissolution of the Papal States in 1870, the Quirinal Palace was confiscated and became the official residence of the king. After the abolition of the monarchy in Italy in 1946, this palace became the residence of the president.

see also

  • Apartment Borgia
  • Niccolina Chapel
  • Stanzas of Raphael
  • Gallery of geographical maps
  • Gallery of candelabra
  • Chiaroskuri Hall
  • Arazzi Gallery
  • Urban VIII Chapel
  • Ladies Hall
  • Hall of the Virgin
  • Urban VIII Hall
  • Papal Apartments
  • St. Martha's House

A couple of days ago it became known that the residence of the Pope in small town Castel Gondolfo, located on the shores of a picturesque lake near Rome, will open its doors to visitors.

Shortly after the feast of the Epiphany, the new director of the residence in Castel Gandolfo, Osvaldo Gianoli, took up his official duties, replacing his predecessor Saverio Petrillo. Before Gianoli had time to get used to the new place, his first project came across his desk: he expressed the wish that his summer residence, which he rarely visits, would become open to residents and guests of the city.

By the way, there is something to see in the pontiff’s residence. It has belonged to the house since the end of the 16th century. In the Middle Ages, the entire town of Castel Gandolfo was the property of the Counts di Tuscolo, and then was in the possession of the Gandolfo family.

Later, the city again changed its owner, who was unable to pay the debts that had fallen upon him. At the insistence of Pope Clement VII, the picturesque place rightfully passed into the possession of the Holy See. However, the papal palace was erected here only a few centuries later. Roman architect Carlo Maderna received an order to create a project for the Pope's residence only in 1698. The Palace of the Pontiffs was built on the same site where the castle of the Tuscolo and Gandolfo family was previously located.

Dear reader, to find an answer to any question about holidays in Italy, use. I answer all questions in the comments under the relevant articles at least once a day. Your guide in Italy Artur Yakutsevich.

Pope Urban VII, during whose time the papal palace was built, was very fond of this secluded town, surrounded by the Albanian Mountains (Colli Albani) and the Albanian Lake (Lago Albano).

Being a true connoisseur of architecture, sculpture and floristry, the pontiff had a hand in decorating not only the interior of the palace, but also the surrounding areas. Later the Villa Barberini was added to the papal residence. From 1870 to 1929, the palace, owned by the Holy See, was not particularly popular among the heads of the Catholic Church, but now the pontiffs prefer to spend almost the entire summer here, trying to hide from the smog and stuffiness that inevitably overtakes them in the Vatican.

Where is

The residence of the Pope stands on the western slope of Lake Albania, overlooking amazing beauty a look that cannot leave anyone indifferent.

Thus, the charm of these places also enveloped the Russian artist Alexander Ivanov, who painted the marvelous painting “Tree over the water in Castel Gandolfo.”

The town itself is imbued with numerous legends and beliefs. So, local residents will be happy to tell you exactly what The founders of Rome - the brothers Romulus and Remus - were born here.. This story evokes a genuine sense of pride among the townspeople, who claim that this is where the Latin land came from.

You will not regret if you decide to take one day to visit all the beauties of this amazing city. It's worth coming here not only for the papal summer palace. There are several in Castel Gandolfo the most beautiful churches, villas and other residences. Getting to the town will not be difficult. Castles of Italy on a larger map

  • If you are traveling by car, you need to take the SS 7 Appia Nuova highway and pass crossing no. 23. Numerous road signs will prevent you from getting lost. We sincerely recommend using the most reliable and cheapest search service. For example, you can rent a car for a day for only 18-30 euros.
  • You can also get to Castel Gandolfo by bus from Rome by purchasing tickets for a direct route from the Anagnina bus station. The ticket costs 2.6 euros.
  • And finally, if you're a follower trains, you should get to (Termini), take the train in the direction of Albano Laziale and get off at Castel Gandolfo station. A train ticket will cost you up to 3 euros.

Have a good trip and pleasant impressions!

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