Apostolic Palace

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View over St. Peter's Square to the Apostolic Palace

The Apostolic Palace (also: Papal Palace , Vatican Palace ) is the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City . In addition to the papal apartments, it also houses chapels and offices of the Roman Curia as well as parts of the Vatican Museums. It is not to be confused with the Lateran Palace in the official papal seat of Lateran, about five kilometers to the east .

The building

Map of the Vatican: The Apostolic Palace between St. Peter's Square (right), St. Peter's Basilica (center) and the Vatican Museums (top center)

The palace is a building complex with around 1,400 rooms and 55,000 m² of floor space. The building, used today as the papal residence, was built by Antonio da Sangallo the Elder in 1508–1519 . J. built and extends around the central Cortile San Damaso , which was designed by Donato Bramante until 1519 .

Older parts of the palace are integrated into the Vatican Museums (for example the Sistine Chapel , the Cappella Niccolina , the Raphael Rooms and the Appartamento Borgia ).

business

The papal apartments were initially on the second floor, the last three windows on the right. The bedroom and death room of Pope Leo XIII is still located here on the far right . (1878-1903). It has therefore remained untouched to this day, since his successor, Pius X. (1903–1914) moved to the third floor, the room just above the second. The popes resided here until 2013. Since then, the following popes have died in the last room on the right on the third floor: Pius X. (1903–1914), Benedict XV. (1914-1922), Pius XI. (1922-1939), Johannes XXIII. (1958–1963), John Paul I (1978) and John Paul II (1978–2005). The Popes Pius XII. (1939-1958) and Paul VI. (1963–1978) each died in the papal summer residence Castel Gandolfo . The Pope is there between July and September.

The palace is guarded by the Swiss Guard .

Until 1871, the official summer residence was the Quirinal Palace . After the Papal State was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1870 , the Quirinal Palace became the residence of the king and, after 1946, the residence of the President of the Italian Republic .

After his election in April 2013, Pope Francis decided not to move into the Apostolic Palace for the time being. He continues to live in the Vatican guest house, Casa Santa Marta , where his apartment is located. He uses the Apostolic Palace to receive state guests and for special audiences.

See also

Web links

Commons : Apostolic Palace  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Cortile San Damaso. In: arch INFORM ; Retrieved December 1, 2009.

Coordinates: 41 ° 54 ′ 12.8 "  N , 12 ° 27 ′ 22.6"  E