Which palace is the official residence of the Pope. Apostolic Palace, Vatican: description, photo, where it is on the map, how to get there. World masterpieces in the Vatican palaces

The Vatican Palaces are the most majestic architectural monument in the world. It includes: museums, chapels, Catholic government agencies. The Vatican palaces are not a single structure, but a complex of buildings and structures that are shaped like an irregular quadrangle.

Historians to this day have not come to a clear conclusion about the start date of construction of the Apostolic Palace. Thus, some historians consider the days of the reign of Constantine the Great to be the starting point, others draw a parallel with the apostolic residence of the times of Symmachus (6th century AD). It has been established that for some time the Apostolic Palace was empty, but after the Avignon captivity of the popes it again became the “home” of the popes.

In the 15th century, Pope Nicholas V proposed building a new palace. Architects and builders set about reconstructing the northern wing without destroying the old walls. This building later included the Borgia apartments.

2 floors of the military tower were converted into a chapel, which later received the name “Niccolina”, because for some time the chapel was the personal chapel of Nicholas V. The chapel was decorated by a Dominican monk, the artist Fra Beato Angelico, and his student B. Gotzozoli. Three walls of the chapel tell stories from the lives of Saints Lorenzo and Stephen, the fourth wall later became an altar.

Towards the end of the 15th century, Pope Alexander VI Borgia invited the artist Pinturicchio to paint his chambers, which occupied six halls. The halls correspond to the subjects of the paintings - the Hall of the Mysteries of Faith, the Hall of Sibyls, the Hall of Sciences and Arts, the Hall of the Lives of Saints, the Hall of Mysteries and the Hall of Popes. Under Pope Julius II, the Vatican and Belvedere palaces were connected through the construction of galleries, the painting of which was carried out by the great Michelangelo Buonarotti and the brilliant Raphael Santi, the architect of the project was Donato Bramante.

The Belvedere Palace houses many exhibits of ancient Greek and Roman art. There are two lobbies leading to the museum: a round one with a panoramic view of Rome and a quadrangular one, in which the torso of Hercules flaunts. Near the circular vestibule is the Hall of Meleager, represented by a statue of this hunter. From here you can access the courtyard. In the courtyard of the Belvedere Palace, Pope Julius II installed a group of Laocoon sculptures and a statue of Apollo, and very soon others were added to them archaeological finds, forming the Vatican Museums.

The Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is perhaps the most famous chapel in the world - the pearl of the Vatican. The architecture of the building will not arouse much interest, but the interior decoration will amaze with the beauty of the frescoes of brilliant Renaissance artists. The chapel is named after Pope Sixtus IV, under whose patronage work was carried out on the reconstruction and decoration of the building in the period from 1477 to 1482. To this day, the conclave (a meeting of cardinals to choose a new pope) takes place here.

The Sistine Chapel consists of three floors covered with a barrel vault. The chapel is divided into two parts by a wall of marble with bas-reliefs, on which Giovanni Dolmato, Mino da Fiesole and Andrea Bregno worked.

The side walls are divided into three tiers: the lower tier is decorated with draperies with the coat of arms of the Pope, made in gold and silver; Artists worked on the middle tier: Botticelli, Cosimo Rosselli, Ghirlandaio, Perugino, who introduced us to scenes from the lives of Christ and Moses. But still, the greatest works of art are considered to be the ceiling and wall paintings made by the painter Michelangelo. The ceiling frescoes depict 9 scenes from the Old Testament - from the creation of the world to the Fall. On the wall above the altar of the chapel there is a scene of the Last Judgment, which during important ceremonies is decorated with tapestries made according to sketches by Raphael.

Vatican Apostolic Library

The Vatican Library is famous for its rich collection of manuscripts from different eras. The library was founded by Pope Nicholas V in the 15th century. The library's collection is constantly being replenished; now its fund includes about 150 thousand manuscripts, 1.6 million printed books, 8.3 thousand incunabula, more than 100 thousand engravings and geographical maps, 300 thousand coins and medals.

How to get there?

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 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. Before late XIX centuries, the Popes also had a summer residence in the Quirinal Palace in Rome, where the President of Italy now lives.

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 Starting point for 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.

IN palace complex The Vatican 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 contains interesting finds, for example, a sculpture of Ramses II on the 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.

Review of the Papal (Apostolic Palace) of the Vatican based on primary sources.

The Papal (Apostolic) Palace in the Vatican under the shadow of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. Still image from the official Vatican film “Vatican City”.

“Just as the Basilica (of St. Peter) is the grandiose repository of the tomb of St. Peter, the Apostolic Papal Palace is a continuation of the Vatican Temple, as if the house of its canon is the house of the clergyman.

The Pope's residence appears in architectural sequence with the Basilica, we're talking about about the totality of buildings and various residences added to one another,” says the official Vatican film “Vatican City,” released in eight languages several years ago by the Vatican Museums Publishing House of the Vatican Governorate, about the Papal Apostolic Palace. (Hereinafter we will quote, among other things, data from this film according to the Russian version).

The most famous window in the world

- window in the Apostolic (Papal) Palace

Panorama of the Vatican with the Cathedral and St.

Panorama of the Vatican with the Cathedral and St. Peter's Square. On the right is the Apostolic (Papal Palace). The illustration shows the most famous windows of the Vatican, from where the Pope addresses his flock (Here Benedict XVI). The most famous of these windows is located in the Apostolic (Papal) Palace.

Every Sunday, at noon local time, the Pope addresses his flock from the window of his office in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican with the Angelus Domini prayer and a short sermon on current topics. This tradition is interrupted only if the Pope is in his country residence near Rome, in Castel Gandolfo (then the ceremony takes place there - in the summer Papal Palace), or on a trip. During the Angelus, anyone can see the Pope if they come to the window of his palace, but better place borrow early.

“The most famous window in the world,” as they say about the window of the Apostolic (Papal) Palace in the Vatican (the penultimate one from the right edge on the top floor of the Sixtus V building in the Papal Palace), is not the only window in the Vatican from which the Pope addresses. On more solemn occasions - at Christmas, for example, the Pope addresses the message Urbi et orbi ("to the city and to the world") from the balcony above the entrance to St. Peter's Basilica. It is also where the Pope appears for the first time before the public and after his election.

But, nevertheless, it is the window in the private office of the Apostolic Palace that is associated throughout the world with the addresses of the Popes. Before the start of the address of the Pope, the Papal personal coat of arms is hung from the window of the Apostolic Palace (Not to be confused with the coat of arms of the Vatican with keys and a crown, which does not change. The personal coat of arms is developed only for the period of the pontificate of each Pope. For John Paul II, the coat of arms depicted the Latin letter M in honor Virgin Mary, and Pope Benedict XVI contains, among other things, images of a bear and a Moor in memory of his archiepiscopal coat of arms of Munich and Freising, where the Pope once served).

Pope Benedict XVI in the window of his private apartments in the Apostolic Palace (Angelus, Dec.

Pope Benedict XVI in the window of his private chambers of the Apostolic Palace (“Angelus”, December 2011; still from a broadcast from the Vatican Television Center). For more information about these chambers, how the Papal Apartments are arranged, and whether the window actually faces the study, see the “Papal Apartments” section of this review.

“The cabinet window (of the Papal Palace) is the most famous in the whole world. Millions and millions of people look at him. Every day the whole world and the Universal Church invade the personal life of the Pope, with their hopes and, above all, with their sorrows, the most varied tragedies and anxieties,”- states the official Vatican film “Vatican City”.

In turn, the website of the Vatican Governorate indicates, speaking about the first Papal Palace, located on the site of the current Apostolic Residence (hereinafter the quotation is from the English version):

“Back in the middle of the 9th century, small fortified buildings were built surrounding the old Basilica of St. Peter (i.e. the original one, Konstantinova, later built into the new one, which still exists today. For more information about St. Peter’s Basilica, see our website here. Note website). These fortified buildings with walls (around the Basilica) were built at the direction of Pope Leo IV (pontificate from 847 to 855), and they came to be called the “lion city”.

The official Vatican film states:

“The original core (of the future Papal Apostolic Palace) can be dated to the period from the 13th to XVII century“... (But first located here) the palace of Pope Innocent III was not much different from a fortified tower. The Vatican Hill, on which the palace was built, ultimately gave its name to this entire area with its palaces...

(Vatican Papal Palace) - the residence of the Popes since 1376, after their return from exile in Avignon. Before that, and at least until the 12th century, the Popes lived in an ancient palace built near the Basilica of St. John Lateran - Cathedral Rome".

Lateran and Avignon to the Vatican

Let us note on our own that the Avignon exile is the period from 1309 to 1377 (with a break in 1367-1370), when, under pressure from France, the Popes moved from Rome to Avignon (in French Provence). Several successive Popes who ruled from there were French (with the exception of one).

The Papacy bought Avignon, and later the Apostolic Palace was built in this city for the Popes, built on the basis of the old episcopal palace. (The Apostolic Palace in Avignon has survived, but now the Popes have no relation to it. Then, although the French king Philip IV the Fair, who forced the Pope to move to Avignon, reigned only until 1314 (when he died at the age of forty-seven), The popes remained in Avignon for more than sixty years.

All this time, the Lateran Palace continued to exist in Rome. This palace dates back to 312 AD. donated to the bishops of Rome, i.e. to the current Popes, Emperor Constantine.

This Roman emperor, who legalized Christianity in the empire and was himself a fan of this cult, received in turn this palace, formerly belonging to the noble Lateran family, after his marriage.

Already in 319, the emperor ordered the construction of the huge Church of Christ the Savior to the Lateran Palace (in the 10th century it was dedicated to John the Baptist), and it became known as San Giovanni in Laterana. It was the Lateran Palace that for ten centuries was the main residence of the Popes in Rome, while the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterana was the main church.

In turn, at that time the Vatican Hill was a marginal swampy and unhealthy area, regularly flooded by the Tiber River. Christians of the first ten centuries of Christianity were interested in Vatican Hill only in connection with the existence there memorial place, associated with the name of the Apostle Peter, where the above-mentioned Emperor Constantine erected a basilica at the supposed site of the execution and burial of St. Peter.

Note that the Lateran Palace and the Lateran Basilica are located very far from the modern Vatican - on the opposite side of Rome, just as they were away from the center of Rome during the Roman Empire. Nowadays, the safely preserved Lateran Palace houses the residence of the vicar - the Pope's vicar in the Roman diocese.

We also note that in modern times, the office of the Popes who already lived in the Vatican was the Quirinale Palace in Rome. The Quirinale Palace personified the power of the Popes as heads of the Papal State. Nowadays it is the residence of the presidents of Italy.

An image from a Vatican Television broadcast shows the front courtyard of the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, known as the Courtyard of St.

An image from a Vatican Television broadcast shows the front courtyard of the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, known as the Patio of St. Damasus. Here we see a door with a canopy (at which Vatican official cars are parked). The Pope uses this exit when leaving the Apostolic Palace and the Vatican by car (to exit the courtyard onto the Vatican streets, there is a passage arch in the facade, but it is not visible here). The courtyard is decorated with round clocks and sculptures.

Courtyard of St.

Courtyard of St. Damas.

In the image from the Vatican Television broadcast: Courtyard of St.

In an image from a Vatican Television broadcast: The Courtyard of St. Damasus. The Swiss Guard and Vatican staff lined up to see off Pope Benedict XVI.

The image from the Vatican Television broadcast shows the Courtyard of St.

The image from the Vatican Television broadcast shows the Court of St. Damasus and to the right of it the Apostolic Palace. On the left side of the photo you can see the elongated structure of the Sistine Chapel, as well as part of St. Peter's Basilica. In the foreground is St. Peter's Square with a spire-shaped ancient Egyptian obelisk in the center.

Developmental chronology pictures

Apostolic (Papal) Palace in the Vatican

Papal Palace of Innocent III (ruled the church from 1198 to 1216.

Papal Palace of Innocent III (ruled the church from 1198 to 1216) from an old drawing (still from the film “Vatican City”). The Palace of Innocent III became the core around which the complex of the now existing Apostolic Residence on Vatican Hill began to take shape and was rebuilt.

Pope Nicholas V (headed the church from 1447 to 1454) against the background of a drawing of the old part of the Apostolic (Papal Palace) on Vatican Hill (Still from the film “Vatican City”).

Buildings of the Apostolic Palace from the time of Pope Nicholas V.

Constructions of the Apostolic Palace from the time of Pope Nicholas V. “Under Nicholas V, a new wing was added and the central part of the building was strengthened around the so-called. Pappagallo courtyard. From the outside, the palace retained the appearance of a medieval fortress - austere, compact, with its towers, but inside the halls were decorated according to the Tuscan Renaissance taste - refined and sophisticated,” notes the film “Vatican City”.

“(Pope) Nicholas V died in 1455.

“(Pope) Nicholas V died in 1455. His interest in culture and architecture was picked up a few years later by Sixtus IV, the Pope who associated his name with the beginning of the construction of the Apostolic Library, but above all with the Sistine Chapel, which from then on would be par excellence the Papal Chapel,” the film notes. "Vatican City". The Sistine Chapel historically belongs to the Papal (Apostolic Palace), although now it is part of the Vatican Museums, a department governed by the governorship of the Vatican City State. However, the Sistine Chapel is also used for official events of the Roman Catholic Church. The conclave is taking place here - the election of a new Pope. A still from the official film “Vatican City”: A bird's eye view of the Sistine Chapel. The film notes that despite its internal splendor, built under Sixtus IV as a Papal Chapel, and being part of the Apostolic Palace, it initially retained and retains on the outside the features of a typical fortified structure.

“In 1494, Rodrigo Borgia was chosen with the name of Alexander VI.

“In 1494, Rodrigo Borgia was chosen with the name of Alexander VI. It is this Pope who will bring to completion part of the project of the Papal Apostolic Palace begun by his predecessors. The Borgia Tower remains one of the most important parts of the Apostolic Palace in the 16th century. The Pope ordered his personal chambers to be built in this building. The six rooms of their components have a continuation in that wing of the Apostolic Palace, which was built under Nicholas V.” In the still from the film “Vatican City” the tower is on the right. The Borgia chambers are now, like all the older buildings of the Apostolic Palace, part of the Vatican Museums.

Donato Bramante, on the instructions of Pope Julius II (was Pope from 1503 to 1513.

Donato Bramante, on the instructions of Pope Julius II (Pope from 1503 to 1513), drew a plan for the new facade of the eastern part of the Apostolic Palace. Still from the film “Vatican City”.

The film “Vatican City” indicates: “It was Raphael, although he did not have much experience in architecture, who completed the eastern façade of the Apostolic Palace after the premature death of Bramante in 1514.” Note that, after the Popes began to move away from fortress architecture in appearance of his Apostolic Palace, it was the loggia windows of the new facades and galleries of the palace that became a visible manifestation of this.

The film “Vatican City” indicates: “It was Raphael, although he did not have much experience in architecture, who completed the eastern façade of the Apostolic Palace after the premature death of Bramante in 1514.” Note that, after the Popes began to move away from fortress architecture in appearance of his Apostolic Palace, it was the loggia windows of the new facades and galleries of the palace that became a visible manifestation of this. They also symbolized the offensive of the so-called. Renaissance.

Loggia windows overlooking the Courtyard of St.

Loggia windows overlooking the Courtyard of St. Damasus, formerly known as the Secret Garden of the Popes. Still from the film “Vatican City.”

"On east side(of the Apostolic Palace) Pope Sixtus V in 1589 wished to erect a strict quadrangular palazzo designed by Domenico Fontana. This palace acts as a third wing to the loggias of Bramante and Raphael,” notes the official Vatican film “Vatican City.”

“On the eastern side (of the Apostolic Palace), Pope Sixtus V, in 1589, wished to erect a strict quadrangular palazzo designed by Domenico Fontana. This palace acts as a third wing to the loggias of Bramante and Raphael,” notes the official Vatican film “Vatican City.” Here, in a still from this film, is the massive palace of Sixtus V (right) - the current residence and apartment of the Pope. It is also part of the large complex of the Apostolic Palace.

Dads are moving

to Vatican Hill

But let's return to the history of the Apostolic (Papal Palace). The official Vatican film says the following about his subsequent history:

“The Papal or Apostolic Palace, however, is not only the residence of the Holy Father. It represents a whole complex of buildings, built in different eras, with halls and chapels abounding in artistic riches.

Nowadays most of the palace is closed to visitors. In addition to the personal chambers of the Pope, it includes various institutions, and the Secretariat of State is the most important governing body of the Holy See.

From the original core of the palace of Innocent III (ruled the church from 1198 to 1216. Note site), other buildings were developed at the will of Pope Nicholas III (ruled the church in 1277-1280), but, above all, Nicholas V (Nicholas V ( Parentucelli) - a humanist pope who headed the church from 1447 to 1454. This is how this Pope is characterized in another part of the mentioned Vatican publication - the film “Vatican City”).

It was during his pontificate that work began, which in the history of the Papal Palace occupies a whole chapter in the history of the revival...

A new wing was added and the central part of the building was strengthened around the so-called. Pappagallo courtyard. From the outside, the palace retained the appearance of a medieval fortress - austere, compact, with its towers, but inside the halls were decorated, according to the Renaissance Tuscan taste - refined and sophisticated.

Michelangelo

and the Papal (Apostolic) Palace

(Pope) Nicholas V died in 1455. His interest in culture and architecture was picked up a few years later by Sixtus IV, the Pope who associated his name with the beginning of the construction of the Apostolic Library, but above all with the Sistine Chapel, which from then on would be par excellence the Papal Chapel.

The structure of this building reflects the constant concern of the Popes how best to protect their residence. In fact, from the outside the chapel appears to be an expanded and fortified tower.

The severity of the building's exterior is contrasted by its interior, which contains the most beautiful frescoes of the Italian Renaissance. In 1508, Pope Julius II della Rovere summoned Michelangelo to Rome to restore and fresco the ceiling of the chapel, which was already significantly damaged.

(Several decades later) Pope Paul III (was Pope in 1534 -1549. Note site) commissioned Michelangelo, who was already approaching the end of his long life, to also paint the walls of the so-called. Pauline Chapel (The paintings in this chapel (Pauline Chapel) are the now lesser-known work for this Pope, carried out by Michelangelo. They were eclipsed by the famous fresco of the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel - the most famous work late Michelangelo, commissioned by Paul III. With the Last Judgment fresco, Michelangelo complemented his other painting in the Sistine Chapel, which has already been mentioned - the ceiling of this room, painted on behalf of Pope Julius II. Note website).

Paul's Chapel was built according to the design of Antonio da Sangallo Jr. (Frescoes Michelangelo's painting in the Pauline Chapel replaced Fra Angelico's painting a century earlier. Note that Fra Angelico's paintings survived in the Papal Palace only in the above-mentioned private chapel of Nicholas V. We also note that the Last Judgment fresco replaced older frescoes by other masters in the Sistine Chapel. Note website).

Dad, whom they didn’t want to remember,

or why Raphael's stanzas were written

In the illustration: In Pinturicchio's canvas "Resurrection" in the room called the Stanza of Mysteries and Faith, the character kneeling in prayer before the risen Christ is Pope Alexander VI.

In the illustration: In Pinturicchio's canvas "Resurrection" in the room called the Stanza of Mysteries and Faith, the character kneeling in prayer before the risen Christ is Pope Alexander VI. A dad with a controversial reputation.

Before we continue quoting the Vatican source - the film "Vatican City", let's talk a little about Pope Alexander VI, who has a reputation in history for behavior inappropriate for a Pope.

It must be said that this Pope was distinguished by great foresight, concern for the safety of his subjects and diplomatic talents. In his activities both as a cardinal and on the Papal throne, Alexander VI always placed effective governance above all else. At the same time, serious publications, although perhaps sympathetic to the Papacy, usually do not take seriously the legends about this man buying votes in the elections, which allowed him to become Pope.

But despite all of the above, this Pope has generally earned a mixed reputation. Mainly because during his pontificate he promoted his illegitimate children into power, and throughout his life he had relationships with many mistresses. Be that as it may, Pope Alexander VI played a vital role in increasing the Vatican's cultural wealth and arranging the Apostolic Palace. This is what Cyrus Shahrad wrote about this to the Pope in his book “Secrets of the Vatican” (2007, 2008 also published in Russian):

“Nothing prevents visitors from wandering through some of the old papal apartments. Those formerly belonging to Julius II form one of the most visited parts of the (Vatican) Museum, magnificently decorated with paintings by Raphael. The chambers of the despotic Pope Alexander VI (in the world of Borgia) give rise to endless speculation. The frescoes (by Pinturicchio) use a complex system of religious iconography to emphasize the supposedly Divine origin of the Borgia themselves.

The protracted period of the reign of Alexander VI was so permeated with a pernicious spirit that his successor, Julius II, flatly refused to occupy the apartments of “this scoundrel,” and the deeply religious Alexander VII removed one fresco that offended his feelings. The fresco was recently found. It depicts the Pope kneeling in front of the Madonna, and the model, apparently, was his mistress Giulia Farnese. The Pope’s hand touches the baby’s leg, which could well have been copied from one of his illegitimate children.”

A still frame from the film “Vatican City” shows the fresco “Disputation of St. Catherine of Alexandria” in the Hall of Saints from the Borgia Chambers of the Apostolic Palace.

A still frame from the film “Vatican City” shows the fresco “Disputation of St. Catherine of Alexandria” in the Hall of Saints from the Borgia Chambers of the Apostolic Palace. The fresco depicts the son of Pope Alexander VI, Cesare Borgia, as Emperor Maximilian, and the Pope's daughter, Lucretia, as Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The brother and sister were de facto co-rulers of the Papal State under Pope Alexander VI.

The official Vatican film is not so categorical about the Borgia Pope. Although he notes the fact that this Pope was not very fond of his successors, and also mentions the frescoes in the Apostolic (Papal) Palace depicting the illegitimate children of the Pope, but does not directly indicate that these are the children of the Pope:

“In 1494, Rodrigo Borgia was chosen with the name of Alexander VI. It is this Pope who will bring to completion part of the project of the Papal Apostolic Palace begun by his predecessors. The Borgia Tower remains one of the most important parts of the Apostolic Palace in the 16th century.

The Pope ordered his personal chambers to be built in this building. The six rooms of their components continue in that wing of the Apostolic Palace, which was built under Nicholas V. Pinturicchio, a famous artist from the region of Umbria, was entrusted with the decoration of the rooms - stanze (The word stanze means room. Note website). In these works, the artist revealed his great technical capabilities, skillfully combining gilded stucco decorations with tempera (a type of paint)... On one of the frescoes ("Sunday") the Pope himself (Alexander VI)...

The idea of presenting characters, making them similar to their contemporaries, quite common in that era (the Middle Ages), is also evident in the fresco “The Dispute of St. Catherine of Alexandria” in the so-called Hall of Saints. On the fresco, Emperor Maximilian is a portrait of Cesare Borgia (the son of Pope Alexander VI and the actual head of the Curia at that time. Note website). While Saint Catherine is endowed with a portrait resemblance to his sister Lucretia. To the left of the throne are the architect Antonio da Sangalla Sr. and Pinturicchio himself.

Alexander VI died in 1503. After Pius III, who was Pope for only 26 days, Pope Julius II della Rovere, nephew of Sixtus IV, was elected. The ten years of his pontificate should be seen as the apogee of the flowering of Renaissance art in the Vatican.

Donato Bramante was the architect who began to implement the Pope's designs. Behind a short time work began on the destruction of the ancient Basilica of Constantine in order to replace it with another, which was supposed to surpass the first in size and splendor. We worked on creating the Belvedere courtyard. While a new impressive façade was designed for the Apostolic Palace. Ambitious projects were only partially implemented, but starting from those ideas they were able to give the Vatican buildings the form in which they exist to this day.

Memories of his predecessor Alexander VI, whom Julius II did not greatly respect, prompted the Pope to decide to change the rooms of his personal chambers. He chose some halls located just above the Borgia chambers, and to decorate them with frescoes he invited the young Raphael, who was barely 25 years old, to Rome in 1508. The painting was carried out in four rooms, known today as Raphael's stanzas (rooms). (A number of rooms were painted by Raphael with his own hand, and a number of them were painted by his students under his guidance. Pri. website) ... The fourth room of the stanzas, dedicated to Emperor Constantine, was painted after the death of Raphael.

"Ducal Hall" of the Apostolic Palace with Bernini's arch depicting the Cupids.

"Ducal Hall" of the Apostolic Palace with Bernini's arch depicting the Cupids. Still from the film “Vatican City”.

Loggias in the northern part of the Apostolic Palace, built under Pope Gregory XIII.

Loggias in the northern part of the Apostolic Palace, built under Pope Gregory XIII. Still from the film “Vatican City”.

From Julius II to Sixtus V

The new façade of the Papal Palace facing Rome, i.e. with the eastern wing, Pope Julius (There is Julius II, remember, he was Pope from 1503 to 1513. Note Portalosrtanah.ru) wanted to turn the gloomy medieval castle to a brilliant Renaissance residence. In an extremely original way (architect) Bramante made the base of three levels of new spacious loggias and higher arches the main mass ancient building. The work was completed by Raphael...

Donate Bramante drew a plan for the new facade of the eastern part of the Apostolic Palace. But it was Raphael, although he did not have much experience in architecture, who completed its implementation after the premature death of the great architect in 1514.

The building with loggias is adjacent to the so-called. called the Secret Garden of the Popes, which will later be called the courtyard of St. Damasus.

After completing the loggias, Raphael and his students painted them with fresco cycles illustrating scenes from the Old Testament. These fresco cycles are known as the Raphael Bibles.

After the death of Julius II, Leo X was elected Pope. (This) Medici Pope continued the ambitious project of his predecessor. From that time on, all extensions to the Papal Palace developed around the courtyard of St. Damasus, (including) those buildings that were subsequently built at the request of Popes Gregory XIII and Sixtus V.” (And also the successor of Leo X - Pope Clement VII. Note Portalosrtanah.ru).

Let us note that Popes Clement VII and Gregory XIII entered the history of the development of the Apostolic (Papal) Palace, mainly as Popes who built new halls in the already existing premises of the Apostolic Palace.

Under Pope Clement VII from the Medici family (government of the Church in 1523-1534). in the medieval part of the Apostolic Palace, the architect Antonio Sangalla Jr., at the same time as the “Hall of Ceremonies”, designed and built the so-called. "Duke's Hall". The “Ducal Hall” adjoins the “Hall of Ceremonies,” which now serves as a kind of antechamber of the Sistine Chapel. ( Let us note that the well-known Giorgio Vasari, a contemporary of Michelangelo, also an artist and sculptor, famous for his biographies of Michelangelo, participated in the painting of the “Hall of Ceremonies” with frescoes about the political primacy of the Popes in the Christian world). Several decades later, in 1556, Bernini connected the “Ducal Hall,” previously consisting of two half-rooms, with an arch with cupids.

Pope Gregory XIII (ruled the church from 1572 to 1585) also rebuilt several halls in the medieval part of the Apostolic Palace. Among the halls where the paintings were changed under Gregory III: the Old Hall of the Swiss" (under Julius II it was adjacent to the chambers of this Pope) and the "Charoscular Hall". The Pope also built four so-called. “Fire Hall” - “foconi”. They were named so because they contained huge braziers for heating. From the second Fire Hall you can go to the Chapel of the Mother of the Redeemer, formerly called the Matilda Chapel, in honor of the Countess, who in the 11th century supported the power of the Pope against the power of the Emperor, and then left her entire fortune to the Church. Also under Gregory XIII, who was fond of geography and astronomy, the “Hall of Bologna” was built. In the hall named honor hometown The popes are dominated by frescoes in the form of geographical maps, in particular a full-wall plan of the city of Bologna.

On the next page: More about the Pope's apartment today in the Palace of Sixtus V, as well as a plan of the Apostolic (Papal) Palace and adjacent buildings.

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, this is not one building, but a whole “collection” of palaces, chapels, chapels, museums and galleries built in different time, in different styles. They are all 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 largely demolished and a new palace was erected in their place (with the “participation” of some old elements). 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 servants.

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.

Apart from the bump, the area is absolutely decorated 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 side 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.

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, 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 house 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. Due to the large concentration of 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 - favorite place popes for receiving 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.