Apostolic or Vatican Palace. Papal Palace, Vatican, Italy Papal Residence

The most important and ancient building of the Vatican is the Apostolic Palace, otherwise called the Papal Palace or the Vatican Palace. Since the fourteenth century, this has been the official residence of the Pope at the Vatican. Officially it is called the Palace of Sixtus V.

The Vatican Palace is not one building and is not made in one style. The complex of buildings of the Apostolic Palace includes government offices of the Roman Catholic Church, the Papal Apartments, the Vatican Library, Vatican museums, and some chapels. On the third floor of the Papal Palace there are rooms for official meetings, including the Consistory Hall, the Pope's office, the Clementine Hall, the Great and Small Throne Rooms, the papal library, and rooms for private audiences. The premises of the papal secretariat are located on the fourth floor.

More than a thousand rooms of the palace have gained worldwide fame thanks to the placement of the greatest works of art. This Stanzas of Raphael, Sistine Chapel with the famous ceiling frescoes by Michelangelo (restored in 1980/90).

Before the capital of Italy was transferred to Rome in 1871, the pope's summer residence was located in the Quirinal Palace. Another papal residence was the Lateran Palace; the summer country residence is located in the town of Castel Gandolfo.

Story

No one has exact information about when the construction of the Vatican Palace began. Some historians attribute it to Constantine the Great, while others date the original construction to the period of Pope Symmachus (sixth century). What is certain is that the palace on Vatican Hill served as the residence of Pope Leo III during Charlemagne's visit to Rome for his coronation. Over time, the palace fell into disrepair, and the pope's residence was moved to the Lutheran Palace. From the moment the popes returned from Avignon (1377), the Vatican turned into a permanent papal residence, and a whole series of grandiose buildings contributed to its expansion.

The famous Sistine Chapel was created under Sixtus IV (1471). The Belvedere Palace was erected near the Vatican under Innocent VIII in 1490. The architect Donato Bramante, on behalf of Pope Julius II (1503), connected it with the Vatican with two magnificent galleries. Bramante began to create lodges surrounding the courtyard of Saint Damase. Later they were completed and painted by Raphael and his students. The Pauline Chapel and the Royal Hall located next to it were built by Pope Paul III.

During the reigns of Pius IV and Gregory XIII, the eastern and northern wings of the lodges emerged. The transverse gallery, which houses the Vatican Apostolic Library, was built by Sixtus V. The Pius-Clement Museum was founded by Clement XIV and Pius VI. The Chiaramonti Museum was founded by Pius VII, who also conducted the Braccio Nuovo - the second transverse gallery (1817-1822). The Egyptian and Etruscan Museums were founded by Pope Gregory XVI. The fourth wall of the courtyard of St. Damasus was built during the reign of Pope Pius IX, at which time the Raphael Lodge was covered with a glass roof.

Appearance palace

The Papal Palace is not a homogeneous architectural whole; this is a complex of palaces, chapels, halls, galleries, which in time and style belong to different eras and contain an inimitable collection of treasures of painting, sculpture, and architecture. Unique architectural ensemble includes up to twenty courtyards, twelve thousand rooms, two hundred staircases. The appearance is an irregular quadrangle, stretching obliquely from south to north from St. Peter's Church. Two galleries connecting the old Vatican and the Belvedere form the eastern and western longitudinal facades.

Two transverse galleries: Library and Braccio Nuovo, the free space between the galleries is divided into three courtyards. Near the Vatican, the courtyard is called Belvedere. On the hillside, to the west of the palace that houses the villa of Pope Pius IV, created by Pirro Ligorio, is the second large garden of Girardino Pontifico. The Giardino della Pigna garden is located in the third courtyard.

South side of the palace

The main entrance is located on the right wing of the Colonnade of St. Peter, near the equestrian statue of Constantine the Great. Decorated with a magnificent Ionic colonnade, the central staircase leads to the Sala Regia - the Royal Hall, which serves as the vestibule for the Pauline and Sistine chapels. The royal hall is decorated with beautiful frescoes by Vasari, Sicchiolante, the Zucchero brothers, Sammachini, and Salviati.

The Pauline Chapel is distinguished by the presence of two frescoes by Michelangelo: “The Crucifixion of St. Peter" and "Conversion of the Apostle Paul", significantly damaged by the effects of soot from wax candles. On the bright days of Easter, services are held here. On the second floor there are the well-known boxes of Raphael, four halls - Stanzas of Raphael, painted on behalf of Julius II, Leo X by Raphael and his students.

The Hall of Constantine leads to the hall of chiaroscuro - Sala de Chiroscuri, from where there is an exit on one side to the Gallery of Lodges, on the other to the Chapel of San Lorenzo, decorated with frescoes by Fra Angelico. The Lodges can also be reached from the courtyard of St. Damasus along the main path - a magnificent staircase consisting of 118 degrees, erected under Pope Pius IX.

In the nineteenth century, the Vatican Picture Gallery was located in five rooms on the third floor, consisting of a small number of paintings - selected works of great masters. In the spring of 1908, the Vatican Pinakothek began operating in a wing of the Belvedere Palace. In 1932, by order of Pope Pius XI, a new special building was built for the Pinakothek.

On the side of St. Peter's Basilica, around the courtyard of St. Damasus, are the personal apartments of the pope and the audience hall.

Belvedere Palace

The Pius-Clemente Museum is located in the Belvedere Palace, where two vestibules lead: a round one with a unique view of the panorama of the city of Rome and a quadrangular one, which houses the well-known Belvedere torso of Hercules.

Near the round vestibule is the Hall of Meleager, in which there is a statue of this Aetolian hero - the mythical hunter of the Calydonian boar. The circular entrance hall leads out to an octagonal courtyard, which is surrounded by a portico with sixteen granite columns. Worldwide installed in quadrangular niches famous statues Apollo Belvedere, Laocoon and his sons, Perseus Antonio Canova, Hermes Belvedere.

The path from the courtyard leads to the gallery of Statues, in which, among other works, the Sleeping Ariadne, Apollo of Saurocton, and Cupid of Praxiteles are placed. Next, through the Hall of Animals (a collection of well-crafted sculptural figures of animals) one goes to the Hall of Muses. It is an octagonal chamber supported by sixteen columns of Carrara marble, in which are installed antique statues of Apollo of Massageta and the muses discovered at Tivoli.

From the Hall of the Muses one can enter the Round Hall, which has ten marble columns with a dome and a floor paved with antique mosaics discovered in Otricol. There are statues of Ceres, Antinous, Hercules, Juno, etc., and a red porphyry pool is unique in its beauty and size. From this hall to the south is the Hall of the Greek Cross, so named for its shape. It houses the sarcophagi of Saints Helena and Constance, made of dark red porphyry.

From here you get to the main internal staircase of the museum, created by Simoneti. It is decorated with thirty columns made of red granite and two of black porphyry. This staircase leads to the Egyptian Museum founded by Pius VII; then to the second floor to the Candelabrum gallery, Etruscan Museum. Housed in thirteen halls, the museum was founded by Gregory XVI and houses a rich collection of ancient Italian treasures.

Further stairs lead to the beautiful garden della Pigna. At the end of the wall there is a semicircular niche (1560, designed by architect Pirro Ligorio), in which a bronze Roman fountain, shaped like a cone of the 1st century, is installed. and gave the name to this garden.

Galleries Bramante, Arazzi, Braccio Nuovo

The Chiaramonti Museum occupies the Braccio Nuovo Gallery and the north side of the Bramante East Gallery. All sides of the Bramante gallery are divided into thirty sections, furnished with an ancient collection of statues, bas-reliefs, busts (Julius Caesar, Tiberius, Silenus, Son, etc., busts of Scipio Africanus, Cicero, Mary, etc.).

The Braccio Nuovo Gallery contains statues: Titus, Augustus, Euripides, Claudius, Minerva, Demosthenes, etc., busts: Lepidus, Mark Antony, Trajan, Hadrian, etc. Only one lattice separates the Chiaramonte Gallery and the Museum of Inscriptions founded by Pope Pius VII, having more than three thousand monuments.

The Western Bramante Gallery includes the following rooms and museums. Numismatic office. Aldobrandin wedding hall. Cabinet of papyri. The Museum of Sacred Objects houses a collection of ancient church utensils discovered in the catacombs, etc. The Museum of Secular Objects includes a collection of antique utensils made from various metals; precious stones; bronze figurines of idols; thread from Ivory. The Hall of Byzantine artists, where Pope Gregory XVI housed a collection of paintings from the 13th and 14th centuries.

In the western Bramante gallery (second floor), the Arazzi gallery contains a precious collection of carpets made from Raphael's cardboards, depicting the acts of the holy apostles.

The Vatican is an amazing state. No tourist remains indifferent after visiting the Apostolic Palace or visiting the papal monastery. Some people admire the Sistine Chapel, some spend time in the austere gardens of the Vatican, others admire and admire the brilliant frescoes of the masters of the Middle Ages. But every guest here will meet and see something that will remain in his memory best experience forever.

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 objects 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 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, which extend to the back of the basilica.

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.

The total length of the intertwining museums of the complex is 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 the Apostolic Palace, originally built for the residence of Pope Sixtus V and then periodically used by popes for living and receiving guests. This is 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 Security activities are carried out 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.

A couple of days ago it became known that the residence of the Pope in small town Castel Gandolfo, which is located on the shore 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, from where an amazingly beautiful view opens up 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. Castel Gandolfo has several 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 junction 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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• Address: 00120, Vatican
• Telephone: +39 06 6988 3860
• Purpose: Palazzo
• Vatican Museums website: http://www.museivaticani.va

Apostolic Palace in the Vatican- This is the official “place of residence” of the Pope. It is also called the Papal Palace, and its official name is the Palace of Sixtus V. In fact, it is not one building, but a whole “collection” of palaces, chapels, chapels, museums and galleries, built at different times, in different styles. All of them are located around Cortile di Sisto V.

The Apostolic Palace is located northeast. Next to it there are two more famous ones - the Palace of Gregorio XIII and the Bastion of Nicholas V.

A little history

It is not known exactly when the Apostolic Palace was built; the data varies quite seriously: some historians believe that some parts of the southern, oldest part, were erected at the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 4th centuries during the reign of Constantine the Great, others - that it is much “ younger" and was built already in the 6th century. The colonnade dates back to the 8th century, and in 1447, under Pope Nicholas V, the old buildings were mostly demolished, and in their place (with the “participation” of some old elements) a new building was erected. new palace. It was completed and rebuilt many times, until the end of the 16th century - quite actively, but also in the 20th century it underwent completion (for example, under Pope Pius XI, a separate monumental entrance to the museum was erected).

Stanzas of Raphael

4 small rooms, painted by Raphael and his students, were called Stanze di Rafaello - (the word “stanza” is translated as room). These rooms were decorated at the direction of Pope Julius II - he chose them as his personal chambers, not wanting to live in the rooms in which Alexander VI had lived before him. There is a legend that some paintings on the walls already existed, but Julius, amazed by Raphael’s skill, ordered all the other paintings to be knocked down and instructed the artist to completely decorate the room - although Raphael was only 25 years old at that time.

The first room is called Stanza dela Segnatura; it is the only one of the four that has retained its original name - the rest are now named after the main theme of the frescoes decorating them. Signature translated means “to sign”, “to put a seal” - the room served as an office, in which dad read the papers sent to him, signed them and affixed his signature with a seal.

The artist painted the room in the period from 1508 to 1511; it is dedicated to human self-improvement, and 4 frescoes reflect 4 areas of such activity: philosophy, justice, theology and poetry.

The painting of Stanza d'Eliodoro was completed from 1511 to 1514; the theme of the paintings is the divine patronage provided to the Church and its ministers.

The third stanza is named Incendio di Borgo - after one of the frescoes, which depicts a fire in the Borgo quarter adjacent to the papal palace. All the frescoes here are dedicated to the deeds of the popes (including the fresco dedicated to the fire - according to legend, Pope Leo managed to stop not only the panic, but also the fire with the sign of the cross). Work on its painting was carried out from 1514 to 1517.

The last stanza - Sala di Konstantino - was completed by Raphael's students, since the artist died in 1520. The composition is dedicated to the struggle of the first Roman Christian emperor Constantine with the pagans.

Belvedere Palace

It is named after the sculpture of Apollo Belvedere stored in it. Today it is located in the palace. In addition to the world-famous statue of Apollo, there are many other masterpieces here, including the statue of Laocoon, Aphrodite of Cnidus, Antinous of Belvedere, Perseus by Antonio Canova, Hercules, and other equally famous sculptures.

In total, the museum contains more than 8 hundred exhibits: the Hall of Animals contains about 150 statues depicting various scenes with animals (some of them are copies of famous ancient statues, some are originals, restored by the Italian sculptor Francesco Franzoni); here is, among others, an original Greek statue depicting the torso of the Minotaur. In the Hall of the Muses there are statues depicting Apollo and the 9 Muses. The statues are copies of ancient Greek originals dating back to the 3rd century BC. There is also a cast of the Belvedere torso and statues of famous ancient Greek figures, including Pericles. The Hall of the Muses has an octagonal shape, surrounded by columns with the Corinthian order. The ceiling painting by Tomazzo Conca attracts no less attention than the sculptures themselves; it continues the plot theme created by the sculptures and depicts the muses and Apollo, as well as famous poets of antiquity - Greek and Roman.

The walls of the gallery of statues were painted by Pinturicchio and his students. There are statues of gods and goddesses, Roman emperors (Augustus, Marcus Aurelius, Nero, Caracalla, etc.), patricians and ordinary citizens, as well as copies of ancient Greek sculptures. The opposite ends of the gallery are decorated with two famous sculptures: Jupiter on the throne and the sleeping Ariadne, and besides them you can see such statues as the Drunken Satyr, the Lamentation of Penelope and others. The Hall of Busts contains busts of famous Roman citizens and ancient gods, including the funerary high relief of Cato and Porcia. In total, the hall contains about 100 busts and frescoes from the Renaissance.

Also worthy of mention are the Hall of the Greek Cross (named after the figure it represents in plan), the Cabinet of Masks, the Rotunda with a giant monolithic porphyry bowl installed in it, and the Cabinet of Apoxymenos.

In front of the Belvedere Palace there is a fountain in the form of a cone - the work of Pirro Ligorio, and the place where it is located is called. Until the beginning of the 17th century, the cone adorned the Champs de Mars in Paris, but in 1608 it was transported to the Vatican and installed in front of the entrance to the Belvedere Palace. It is an allegory of the creation of the world.

In addition to the cone, the square is decorated with an absolutely modern sculpture Sfera con Sfera - “Sphere within a Sphere” by Arnaldo Pomodoro, installed in the early 90s of the last century. The four-meter outer bronze sphere contains an inner rotating sphere, on which a design is applied, visible through the “gaps” and “holes” in the outer sphere. She personifies the Earth in the Universe and encourages us to reflect on the truth that all the destruction that is caused to our planet resonates in the outside world.

Built during the reign of Pope Sixtus IV (construction began in 1473 and completed in 1481) and named after him, and on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, August 15, 1483, it was consecrated. Before her, another chapel stood in this place, in which the papal court gathered. The idea of ​​​​creating a new chapel, more fortified and capable of withstanding a siege if necessary, arose from Sixtus IV in connection with the constant threats of attack on East Coast Italy from the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, as well as due to the presence of a military threat from the Signoria Medici.

However, the fortification was strengthened, and the decoration of the chapel was also not forgotten: the wall frescoes were made by Sandro Botticelli, Penturicchio and other famous artists of that time. Later, already under Pope Julius II, Michelangelo painted the vault (it depicts the creation of the world), lunettes and strippings. The four panels depict the biblical scenes “The Brazen Serpent”, “David and Goliath”, “The Punishment of Haman” and “Judith and Holofernes”. Michelangelo completed the work in a fairly short time, despite the fact that he positioned himself as a sculptor, and not as a painter, and various difficulties arose during the work (some frescoes had to be knocked down due to the fact that they were covered with mold - damp plaster, on which they were applied turned out to be susceptible to mold, later a different solution was used, and the frescoes were painted anew).

Upon completion of the painting of the vault, on October 31, 1512, a solemn Vespers was served in the new chapel (on the same day and at the same hour, 500 years later, in 2012, Vespers was repeated by Pope Benedict XVI). It is not surprising that it was Michelangelo who was entrusted with painting the altar wall. The work was carried out by the master from 1536 to 1541; The scene of the Last Judgment is depicted on the wall.

Since 1492 - with the conclave at which Rodrigo Borgia was elected pope, who became Pope Alexander VI - Conclaves have been regularly held in the Sistine Chapel.

Papal Apartments

The apartment in which the Pope lives and works is located at the very top; Some of the windows face . They consist of several rooms - an office, a secretary's room, a reception room, a bedroom, a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. There is also a large library, a chapel and a medical office, which is important given the age at which cardinals are usually elected pope. However, Pontiff Francis has abandoned the papal chambers and lives in the Santa Marta residence, in a two-room apartment.

In the Apostolic Palace there is another “papal apartment” - apartments that belonged to the notorious Pope Alexander VI - Borgia. Today they are part of the city, open to tourists, and the paintings done by Pinturicchio attract special attention.

How to visit the Apostolic Palace?

You can visit the Apostolic Palace on weekdays and Saturdays from 9-00 to 18-00. An adult ticket costs 16 euros, you can buy it at the box office until 16-00. On the last Sunday of the month you can visit the museum from 9-00 to 12-30 absolutely free of charge.

Some people, let alone the Popes, definitely know how to live beautifully. Their residence in the Vatican consists not of one, but of several buildings at once, which are combined into the Apostolic Palace complex. The Apollo Belvedere, the Sistine Chapel and Raphael's Stanzas are all masterpieces in the Vatican Palace.

The Apostolic or, as it is often called, the Papal Palace is located in the Vatican and consists of several independent buildings located around the courtyard of Sixtus V. These include, for example, the Pope’s apartments, the Belvedere Palace with the Pius Clement Museum located in it, chapels, the famous The Sistine Chapel, Stanzas of Raphael, the Borgia apartments, as well as several office spaces. Several galleries are also considered part of the complex, including Braccio Nuovo and Bramante.

Apostolic Palace

When was the palace built?

The beginning of the construction of the Vatican Palace dates back to approximately the 5th-6th centuries, although some historians suggest that the first stone could have been laid even earlier, during the time of Constantine the Great, that is, at the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 4th centuries. Be that as it may, already during the coronation of Charlemagne, Pope Leo III lived in a palace on Vatican Hill. The building, however, fell into disrepair over time, and until the Avignon captivity, the Lateran Palace in Rome served as a refuge for the Popes.

For 70 years, the Popes languished in Avignon, and at the end of the 14th century they returned to settle in the Vatican again - this time for good. Until the end of the 19th century, the Popes also had a summer residence in the Quirinal Palace in Rome, where the President of Italy now resides.

The Belvedere Museum houses Michelangelo's Last Judgment

The palace complex was rebuilt gradually. In the second half of the 15th century, the Sistine Chapel was built on the site of the former Great Chapel. The Italian architect Giorgio de Dolci worked on its creation. The building is famous for its beautiful frescoes by Sandro Botticelli and Michelangelo. And to look at the famous “Last Judgment” on the altar wall, thousands of tourists come to the Vatican every day.

World masterpieces in the Vatican palaces

At the end of the 15th century, the Belvedere Palace grew on Vatican Hill. The architect Donato Bramante worked on it - the same one who had a hand in the creation of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. At the end of the 18th century, by order of Clement XIV and Pius VI, the Pio Clementino Museum was located in the palace. It is famous for its square courtyard, where world-famous sculptures are located. It is here that you can see the Apollo Belvedere, a marble copy of the mid-2nd century AD. In one of the niches of the garden there is the composition “Laocoon and Sons”, which was restored by Michelangelo.

Laocoon and sons

Donato Bramante began the construction of boxes, which were later painted by Raphael and his students. Next to them are the Stanzas of Raphael, on which the artist worked on the orders of Pope Julius II. At that time, the future genius was only 25 years old, and this order became the starting point for the young talent. For almost 10 years he worked to create the frescoes, which are today considered one of the greatest works of art of the Renaissance. Not far from Raphael's boxes on the third floor of the palace there was an art gallery, which was moved to the Belvedere Palace at the beginning of the 20th century. Now the Vatican Pinakothek is located in a separate building. On the walls you can find masterpieces by Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian.

The Vatican palace complex includes several other museums. At the beginning of the 19th century, Pope Pius VII founded the Chiaramonti Museum. It contains an impressive collection of ancient sculptures, including, for example, the same Nile with 16 tributary children. Pope Gregory XVI founded the Egyptian and Etruscan museums a little later. The collection, of course, is inferior to that of the famous Egyptian Museum in Berlin, but it also stores interesting finds, for example, a sculpture of Ramses II on a throne and a headless statue of Ujagoressent (a priest who lived in the 6th century BC). A special place in the structure of the Vatican Palace is occupied by the Apostolic Library, where more than one and a half million printed books and about one and a half hundred manuscripts of the Renaissance are stored.

Neil with children

The Apostolic Palace is associated with the conversion of the Pope. It is from here that the pontiff speaks to his flock every Sunday. The Pope’s personal flag (designed for each individual separately) is hung from the window of the palace office, and then all those gathered can see the pontiff in person.